under siege. dangerous floodwaters peak in as you tral a overnight. at least four people are dead, hundreds pulled to safety. we will go there live. man on a mission. former vice president al gore on the highs and lows of his political and personal life, the debates raging in washington and the very future of our planet. this morning he joins us for a very rare live interview. effective or offensive? why this new super bowl ad from volkswagen is raising eyebrows "today," tuesday, january 29th, 2013.

>> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with matt lauer and savannah guthrie, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on a tuesday morning. i'm savannah guthrie. >> and i'm matt lauer. we'll get to that severe flooding in northeast australia in a couple of minutes. more rescues there over the last 24 hours. al will join us and tell us abt a powerful storm system right here at home that could be spawning some tornados in the coming days. also ahead, strong signals from the boy scouts that it will end its nationwide exclusion of gay scouts and leaders. at least one major group is saying that may force it to move its support to other boys' organizations. new questions this morning about the death of country singer mindy mcready's boyfriend as she opens up about what happened the night he died. we'll hear from her. it's an emotional and candid

interview. first to that deadly flooding in australia. sarah james is in brisbane for us this morning. s sarah, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. the floodwaters here in brisbane -- and i'm on the banks of the river, have peaked and are starting to recede, but the crisis here in queensland, australia, is far from over. the juggernaut of the storm, which dumped 2 1/2 feet of water on the region, lashed towns across eastern australia all the way down to sydney. a storm so terrifying and bizarre. churning up monster foam from the ocean that entertained children, but bewildered drivers, and taxed resources to the breaking point. even thunderburg's hospital had to be evacuated. rescue workers pushed patients on carts to waiting helicopters. others plucked from rooftops

from a team of civilians, remnants of cyclone oswald. tiny evac eevacuee. hundreds of men and women and children rushed to safety. this fashionable neighborhood two miles outside the center of brisbane flooded in 2011, a once in a century flood, but two years later, it happened again. andrew brady just moved here. >> also it can't happen again. >> reporter: last flood he volunteered to dig out others. now they're calling to return the favor. >> you add in the desert, this is our flood phone, samsung flood phone. >> reporter: those friends, those volunteers worked so hard

and got so dirty in the cleanup that they got nicknamed the mud army. you can bet the platoons of them will be back in action this year, those volunteers. and they'll be needed. it's going to be a massive cleanup, savannah. >> that, it is, sara james for us. thank you. here's matt. traveling to las vegas to talk about immigration reform, president obama's trip comes after a group of bipartisan senators unveiled their plan for dealing with the roughly 11 million undocumented people living here in the united states. nbc's white house correspondent kristen welker has more on that. >> reporter: president obama will give new details to the policies he first map ped out to years ago and will call on congress to pass an immigration reform bill quickly. president obama, putting the spotlight on immigrati reform today. a campaign promise echoed in his inaugural address. >> our journey is not complete until we find a better way to

welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see america as a land of opportunity. >> reporter: the president turning up the heat on congress, by taking his case to nevada, where latinos make up 27% of e population. luis baraljas will be in the audience, working to gain citizenship. >> we need to feel free in this country. freedom is what this country presumes to be. >> reporter: remarks today will mirror the speech he gave two years ago in el paso, texas, calling for stronger border security and a path to citizenship. >> being a nation of laws goes hand in hand with being a nation of immigrants. >> reporter: white house officials are praising the proposals of a bipartisan grooch s group of senators announced monday. lawmakers saying now is the time to tackle immigration. >> we have been too content for too long to allow individuals to mow our lawn, serve our food,

clean our homes and even watch our children while not affording them any of the benefits that make our country so great. >> reporter: the plan would require undocumented immigrants seeking a green card and eventually citizenship to register with the federal government, pay fines and back taxes, undergo criminal background checks and learn english, but all that contingent on border security being strengthened. >> we also have to ensure that we do nothing that encourages people to come here illegally in the future. >> th we believe this will be the year congress finally gets it done. >> reporter: with the power of hispanic voters growing rapidly, the politics are right. >> the fact that at least in washington both parties can get together to present a framework of something that could finally deal with all the different aspects of immigration is really a big step forward. >> reporter: for years, washington has tried to pass

immigration reform and failed and there's no guarantee that lawmakers would be successful this time around. for one, the president's plan is expected to differ with the senate in some key areas, and there is still a lot of opposition in congress to many of these proposals being discussed. matt? >> kristen welker at the white house, thank you very much. former vice president, al gore is the author of the new book "the future." welcome. >> thank you, matt. >> you'll sit in chairs like this the next few days. is this something you relish or dread? >> i've been looking forward to it. >> yeah? >> yeah. i feel passionately about the message contained in this book. i've always been fascinated about looking at the future, trying to see over the horizon. i've done that with climate. i do that with a bunch of other big challenges we're facing. >> do you miss politics? do you miss the chance to weigh in on some of the other issues being debated in washington right now? you said this recently. i'm a recovering politician and

the chances of relapse have been diminishing long enough to increase my confidence that i will not succumb to that temptation again. you don't miss being in there and driving these debates from washington? >> there are some things i miss about it, yes. and i continue to speak out on issues. but one of the themes of this book, matt, is that our democracy has been hacked. that's a computer term, of course, that implies control of the way our political system works has been taken over. in this case, by big money, corporations designated as persons, anonymous donors. and big money is having a corrupting influence and it is degrading the quality of our democracy. >> as a result, a lot of things that need to get accomplished simply aren't getting accomplished. when president obama, in his second inaugural address, talked about the need to work on climate change, i know you applauded that. >> yeah. >> but you've been critical of

the president over the last four years, saying he did not get things done. here are your words. senators in both parties said privately the passage of the climate plan might have been within reach but that it seemed to them that president obama was not prepared to make the all-out effort that would have been necessary to build a coalition in support of the plan. so, are you saying that when he talked about it, president obama talked the talk, but was unwilling to walk the walk on climate change? >> well, there's a lot of truth to that. but there were a lot of factors to take into account. first of all, though, let me say what he said in his inaugural address last week, i thought, was fantastic. and it was the first issue he talked about. he spent more time on that than anything else. >> but will it get done? >> that's the question. but he has now put his commitment out there. i remember as a little kid in tennessee, the first time i went up the high diving board, the key step was climbing that long ladder going out to the edge of

the board. then i had to go off it. i was about 5 years old. i think that making the kind of commitment he did is comparable. he has put his presidency behind this issue now. in his first term, even though, yes, he fell short, he ended up doing more than any previous president. and the opposition has been very difficult. but look at your first story about the flooding in australia. today is the three-month anniversary of superstorm sandy here. two years ago in my home city, nashville, massive flooding. these storms, it's like a nature hike through the book of revelation on the news every day now. and people are connecting the dots. >> you're joining us in our 8:00 half hour. i want to talk about some of the other headlines you've made of late. you sold current tv, the network you co-founded, to al jazeera for an estimated $5 millio00 mi.

your take on that, pretax, $100 million. was that always just an investment for you? >> no, no, no. >> was i naive? i thought it was an ideal -- >> it was. >> so why did it become just an investment at the end? >> we won every major award in television journalism. i'm really proud of it. as an independent network, the only independent news and information network, we found it difficult to compete in this age of conglomerates and i'm pleased that al jazeera has established itself as a respecting news-gathering network. >> you blast other television news programs saying this, virtually every news and political commentary program on television is responsponsored i by oil, coal and gas companies. not just during campaign seasons, but all the time, year in and year out, with messages designed to soothe and reassure the audience that everything is fine, the global environment is not threatened.

and the critics jumped. they said here's the guy who just sold current tv to al jazeera, which gets an undetermined amount of funding from the country of qatar, which gets its money from oil reserves. isn't there a contradiction in that? >> i certainly understand that criticism. i disagree with it, because i think al jazeera obviously has long since established itself as a really distinguished and effective news-gathering organization. by the way, its climate coverage has been far more extensive and of high quality than any network here. >> funding from a country that basis its wealth on fossil fuels and fossil fuels are the enemy you target in climate change -- >> yeah. >> -- isn't there a bit of hi hypocrisy in that? >> i understand the criticism. its climate coverage, as i said

a moment ago, has been outstanding and extensive. >> you're on the board of apple. >> yeah. >> the company is going through some very difficult times. the stock is falling. it's dropped below the market cap of exxonmobil. are you worried as a board member of the future of apple? >> i think it's a fantastic compa company. of all of steve jobs' creations, iphone, the mac, ipad, et cetera, his greatest was apple itself. doing a great job, the executive team and employees there. >> he can carry this team? >> absolutely. the earnings report was, i think, the second largest earnings report in the history of world business. so, no, it's a great company and doing extremely well. >> much more on washington, much more on the book and your life these days. al gore, we'll see you in about 45 minutes. >> look forward to it. >> thank you, sir. and here is savannah. >> matt, thanks. boy scouts of america is on

the verge of a fundamental change in its policy toward gay scouts and leaders. a move that's drawing both krifl cr cr criticism and praise this morning. good morning. >> savannah, good morning. the board votes soon, and scouting insiders predict it will pass. it would be a fundamental change for an organization that, for decades, has fought against allowing gays in, considering such a move to be a violation of the scout oath, requiring scout s to be morally straight. if approved, a new policy would end the national ban on gay scouts and scout leaders and let local troops decide for themselves. in a statement boy scouts say members and parents would be able to choose a local unit which best meets the needs of their families. that's welcomed news to zach walls, an eagle scout from iowa, who told the democratic national convention last summer about being raised by two mothers.

>> such a ground swell of local leaders all over the country who have been calling for an end to the ban because they see how this policy is hurting their local level, as policy alienates young people. >> reporter: anti-gay policy has prompted some big corporations, including u.p.s., to end their financial support for scouting. and some local scout leaders have pushed for a nondiscrimination policy. >> i think it kind of caught a lot of families off guard when the boy scouts of america came out and reaffirmed their ban on gay and lesbian individuals and a lot of us feel strongly that that's not right. >> reporter: james dale sued the boy scouts when he was let go as a scout leader after he publicly said he's gay, a case the scouts won before the u.s. supreme court. he says the new policy, which would still allow some troops to exclude gay members isn't enough. >> boy scouts have to make sure they're teaching america and are in step with american values of equality and not discriminating. >> reporter: more than half the nation's scouting organizations

are sponsored by churches. southern baptist convention calls the potential policy change deeply disappointing. >> we want to be respectful of everyone, but we also want respect for us, respect for those who hold to what might be called a biblical form of morality. >> the boy scouts board meets next week in texas to vote. if the new policy is approved, it would take effect june 1st. savannah? >> pete williams in washington, thank you. let us get a check of the morning's other top stories with natalie morales over at the news desk. >> good morning, everyone. new details this morning are showing how a nightclub in santa maria, brazil, became a death trap. keir simmons is there. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. you can see where rescuers smashed the walls of the nightclub to save lives. but they're now asking, why was this the only exit. vigils held overnight for the

more than 230 dead. >> i don't wish for anybody the same. >> reporter: survivors say the band set off pyrotechnics, igniting a fire in the ceiling. audrey lost two friends, one she was with in the club that night. >> he goes to the bathroom and 30 seconds later, the smoke, the fire starts. and i don't see him again. >> reporter: she fell to the floor, trampled, but escaped. >> i am very happy i'm here. >> reporter: outside the nightclub, panic. desperate rescues and now questions. >> reporter: are you angry? >> a little bit. i don't know how i feel about thi this, about everything. >> reporter: today, she will talk to the police.

four people have been arrested, reportedly including the club's owners. the country's president declaring it must never happen again. and overnight the number of flowers here has doubled. there are pictures of the victims. natalie, the grief that has overwhelmed this community is now turning to anger. >> keir simmons in santa maria, brazil. thanks, keir. three months after superstorm sandy tore through the northeast, congress has passed a bill to provide $50 billion in emergency funds to the victims of the devastation. it racked up billions of dollars in damage to homes and businesses last october. usair force is searching for one of its own this morning after looing contact with an f-16 jet over the adriatic sea. they are working with the italian coast guard in a search and rescue effort for the pilot. courtney reagan has the latest from the new york stock exchange. >> good morning, natalie.

the general rally took a bit of a breather on monday, snapping an eight-day winning streak, dow ending its six-day rally when it comes to today, they will look to data and consumer confidence and earnings from pfizer and lily. in a new york hospital with a case of the chicken pox, barbara walters was hospitalized for a fall last week. after suffering from a lingering fever, they found it to be the childhood disease. her co-host on "the view" says she hopes to go home soon. we wish barbara all the best. tiger woods won the farmers insurance open monday by four shots. woods called the win a nice way to start the year. i'll say. it is 7:19 right now.

you're up-to-date. let's turn it over to savannah, matt and al. >> we want to pass along our very best wishes to barbara walters for a speedy recovery. >> absolutely. mr. roker, you said a storm is on the horizon? >> very volatile situation in a vigorous jet stream. warm, moist air. cold air behind it and a low pressure system combined. we have tornado watches for central oklahoma and including oklahoma city until 12:00 noon today. you can see storms firing up beep have a risk of strong storms today. later this afternoon, into this evening, and in much of arkansas and northern louisiana and southern missouri. we are looking for rainfall amounts anywhere from two to three inches of rain. the back side of this system has a lot of cold air with and it that could bring anywhere from 6 to 9 inches of snow from iowa on into upper michigan. we are going to get to your local forecast. but first, this message.

gorgeous gold and orange sunrise over the potomac. live view from the nbc 4 city camera on this tuesday morning. 29th day of january. 44 at reagan national. and we have got quite a bit of humidity hanging in the air. bit of few scattered sprinkles. es of green passing south of the metro area. much of them not reaching the ground. later today into the 50s. much of the region. and we have a little patchy fog now that will be dissipating. >> and that's your latest weather. >> al, thank you. did the boyfriend of country singer mindy mcready take his

own life or was he murdered? she speaks out this morning about the investigation. super bowl ad from volkswagen is raising a few eyebrows. first this is "today" on nbc.

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i will do that for you. it's a mental challenge. it's a puzzle. but getting you the maximum refund- that's what i'm here for. bring it on. good morning. it is 7:26 on this tuesday, january 29, 2013. i'm angie goff. the longest serving member in the maryland house of delegates has died. hattie harrison passed away last night at the age of 84. the democrat represented baltimore city since 1973. she was the first african-american woman to chair a legislative committee in the general assembly. the jury will deliberate the fate of a former culpeper police officer accused of murder. daniel harmon wright is accused of shooting 54-year-old patricia last february. he says she was trying to hurt him and he shot her in self-defense. if convicted harmon white faces anywhere from a we are to life

in prison. today d.c. mayor vincent gray will announce a $400 million surplus. you can thank d.c.'s growing population for generating that extra tax revenue. booming real estate market is factor. government agencies may not see much of that extra money, however. the mayor will likely ask that most of it go into the city's reserve fund. weather and traffic next.

good morning. showing a few sprinkles in fairfax and in loudoun and in montgomery counties. those will be gone in another few minutes. and later today partly sunny into the 50s. much of the region. and a little fog we have around now will be dissipating shortly. tomorrow warmer. the 60s. afternoon and evening showers. thunder and lightening. >> traffic looking pretty good. we have minor delays on the top side of the beltway, 95.

no vume delays. no incidents being reported. we have a water main break on little river turn bike at willow run drive. eastbound lanes of little river turnpike are blocked. >> more news in 25 minutes. >> more news in 25 minutes. for now back t

nope, no. sorry, love to but can't. i'm sorry, she's very busy. enjoy the rich taste of dunkin' mocha lattes and coffees. now in dark chocolate. indulge in one today. america runs on dunkin'. 7:30 now on a tuesday morning, january 29th, 2013, with a first look at volkswagen's new super bowl ad for the beetle. in a moment why some people think this is effective and others think it may be a little offensive. we'll ask you your opinion on that one. i'm matt lauer, along with savannah guthrie, al roker and natalie morales. do you drp dread picking up a loved one at the airport? really, who doesn't? the waiting, endless circling. some airports are making changes that will make you want to offer up your services. making the parking lot a more exciting place.

>> a more friendly place. that's good. on a much different note, country singer mindy mccready opens up on the death of her boyfriend. it was first reported as a suicide but officials say murder has not been ruled out. tomorrow here on "today," an exclusive live interview with microsoft founder bill gates. he will open up about where technology is headed, the global reach of his charitable foundation and much more. that is bill gates, live tomorrow morning right here on "today." we'll begin this half hour with that new super bowl ad from volkswagen. >> and the car company has had, of course, big hits during the big game in recent years. this year's "get happy" spot is already getting a lot of attention. >> i hate mondays. >> yeah. they're the worst. >> no worries, man. everything will be all right. yeah, man. don't fret. sticky bun comes soon. yeah. wicked coffee, mr. james.

julia, turn the frown the other way around. >> you're from minnesota, right? >> yes, the land of 10,000 lakes. the gopher state. >> so in conclusion, things are pretty dismal. >> do you know what this room needs? a smile. who wants to come with i? ♪ traveling along there's a song that we're singing come on get happy yeah ♪ >> you are three minutes late. >> don't be no cloud on a sunny day. >> yeah, chill. >> sir? >> that's the power of german engineering. >> and, by the way, from volkswagen's marketing, officer tim mahoney said we obviously did our homework to make sure we weren't offensive, we did some research to make sure we weren't going in a direction we didn't want to go and volkswagen had consulted about 100 jamaicans

and hired a speech coach. >> some think the ad is funny and effective, others think it is a little offensive. another network executive said i don't like it at all. it's like black face with voices. >> barbara lipman. first reaction when you see the ad? >> i was shocked. didn't anyone look at this? this is so racist. there's no link to volkswagen. and maybe jamaicans didn't find it offensive, but it's just saying that black people are happy. >> i take a completely different view of it. i have to be honest with you. i thought if you buy this car, it puts you in a happy place and what's happier than all the memories we have on being on beautiful islands on island time? that's the way i took it. >> some people said it had that jar jar banks from star wars effect, it doesn't make any sense. >> my son graduated from

college. he thought it was hilarious, cool runnings, to put that voice in stern minnesotans. >> the ad agency, i guess, anticipating that there may be controversy, has a couple of other back-up options in case vw pulls the ad. sometimes controversy is good for a company. >> right. >> is this the kind of controversy that you think -- >> this is where social media saved their lives. i would bet that they're going to run the other ad. last time, it was fantastic, ate up the internet, most popular ad ever. this one is clearly a mistake in judgment. they'll have another really funny ad that they're going to tell you this was just a teaser and they love the other one. >> they have german accents. you will enjoy it! >> the teaser was wonderful. it just showed people in a parody of the coke ad running up in the mountains, being happy. it was all the people famous from the internet. >> if you are you're a betting

woman, you say that ad will never see the light of day on the super bowl? >> that's what i will bet. >> i'm officially neutral. >> switzerland! >> switzerland. >> controversy, i think, sometimes can be good. >> barbara, thank you. appreciate it. so what do you think? does the jamaican flavor of this ad go too far? go to today.com and give us your opinion. we'll tell you what our polling has to say. >> all right. let's turn to al and get a check of the weather. >> got some you. we are talking about -- lots of snow. boston normally this time of year has 22 inches of snow. they have 8 1/2 inches. new york with 11 inches, only half of that. as you go into the midwest, cleveland should have 35 inches of snow. only 20. chicago, less than 3 inches of snow given normally we would have about 20 inches by this time of year. may see a little more snow in the next 36 hours in chicago. until then, not much happening. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods.

>> good morning. it is well above freezing around the region. we are in the 30s to low 40s much of the metro area. and we will climb into the 50s later today. right now storm team 4 radar showing a pew -- few scattered showers. dissipating shortly. into the 50s much of the region today. little patchy fog in rural areas dissipating. then much warmer tomorrow. afternoon and evening showers, maybe some thunderstorms and much colder thursday into the week >> and that's your latest weather. coming up, we'll have the latest in the investigation into the death of the boyfriend of country star mindy mccready. later on we'll show you a change in that cell phone parking lot, change for the better. we'll have that story and more, coming up right after this. [ male announcer ] when you're at the corner of "i'm a new parent"

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wants to be able to grieve properly but says the sheriff is on a witch hunt. the sheriff says he just wants to keep the case open until more forensic testing can be done. >> he didn't just -- he didn't just touch my heart. he touched my soul. he was my soul mate. >> reporter: mindy mccready's life will never be the same after she says her boyfriend, david wilson, took his own life on the front porch of their arkansas lake house. >> i've never gone through anything this painful. nor will i ever again go through anything this painful. >> reporter: the couple fell in love over music. he was a producer and she was once on top of the country charts with songs like "guys do it all the time ♪ ♪ guys do it all the time >> reporter: her early success was followed by a downward spiral of addiction, arrest and jail time. she made headlines again in 2011, after going on the run with her son, xander, in the d

midst of a custody battle. then everything changed the night of january 13th. >> i started screaming, calling 911. i laid down next to him. i just pleaded with him not to die. >> reporter: was he able to say anything? was he able to see you? were his eyes open? >> he was responding. >> with words or with a touch? >> sounds. >> reporter: initially, law enforcement officials only said they had responded to a report of a suicide. the local sheriff now tells nbc news the investigation into the cause of death is ongoing and murder has not been ruled out. mccready is not a suspect. she admits they did argue that night about personal issues. there have been reports out there that david was having an affair. >> david was not having an affair with another woman. that is absolutely, totally

untrue. >> reporter: a published report has raised questions about the shooting, including why the bullet wasn't found until a day later. >> i didn't find it. the dog did. it was in the dog's mouth. i mean, that's a horrific thing to say, but it was in the dog's mouth. >> reporter: for the record, did you kill david? did you shoot david? >> oh, my god! no. oh, my god, no! he was my life. we were each other's life. >> reporter: do you, 100% believe that david killed himself? >> i -- i don't know. >> do you think he could have been murdered? >> i don't know. >> reporter: you have been through so much pain and heartache in your life and, honestly, your life almost plays like a country music song. >> i just keep telling myself

that the more suffering that i go through, the greater character i'll have. >> reporter: once again we want to say mindy mccready is not a suspect in this case. there are no suspects in this case at this time. tests from the arkansas crime lab are due back in a couple of weeks. the sheriff says he will be able to make a determination at that point if this is murder or suicide. matt? >> you'll be following this story for "dateline." by the way, you can catch a special edition of "dateline" 10:00, 9:00 central time here on nbc. up next, we'll switch gears and give you a reason why you'll want to pick someone up at the airport in the near future. that's right after this. the craving for chocolate...] oooh. [ female announcer ] ...is all grown up. oooh. [ female announcer ] jared presents beautiful, natural levian chocolate diamonds and chocolate cultured south sea pearls. levian is the only company on earth to make jewelry with chocolate diamonds. levian -- the leading family in jewelry -- from ancient royalty to today's red carpet.

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to pass it on to her son. michelle kosinski has the story. >> reporter: the last abdication was king edward in the 1930s. in the netherlands, stepping aside for one's child is much more common but it still surprised people for this much-loved monarch. queen beatrice and the royal family have been known and loved as friendly, down to earth, normal. after 33 years on the throne, three days from her 75th birthday, queen bea, as she's called, addressed her country. >> translator: responsibility must now lie in the hands of the new generation. >> reporter: that would be her son, william alexander, once known as a party boy, whose father wasn't invited to his wedding. princess maxima cried at her wedding and has been popular with the rest of the family ever since. in april, he will become the

first dutch king in more than a century. her second son gave up his claim to the throne when he married a woman who once had a relationship with a drug lord. he worked as a banker and businessman in london until a tragic skiing accident, avalanche last year left him in a coma. queen beatrice has been flying to london, sometimes every weekend, to see him, another emotional upheaval after the death of her husband in 2002. both beatrice's mother and grandmother gave up their reign so their daughters could serve. and abdications, voluntary or not, have happened throughout history. to become a catholic in the 1600s, a big scandal. in modern times incorporate edward of england to marry a twice divorced american, one who will not abdicate, it is often said, queen elizabeth, only two years away to becoming the longest reigning monarch in british history. >> whether it be long or short

shall be devoted to your service. >> the reality is that things do change so to say those things will never happen, i would say to them never say never. >> reporter: prince charles now is the longest waiting heir to the british throne and could be waiting a long time more. for queen beatrice, it was just the thing to do at the right time. this abdication has raised questions again about queen elizabeth's future. can someone still be head of state when they're, say, 100 years old? prince charles recently described himself as impatient and says he hopes to live long enough to do all he wants to do. savannah? >> michelle kosinski in london. now here's matt. how about this? free wi-fi, clean restrooms and a comfortable place to wait for a friend. if it sounds like your local coffee shop, think again. we're actually talking about a parking lot. nbc's janet shamlian now at the airport in austin, texas, to explain that. good morning to you, janet. >> reporter: hi, matt.

we are in this cell phone lot. this is really very convenient if you're picking somebody up at the airport. you don't have to keep circling the terminal endlessly or pay for short-term parking. with all the amenities they've put in here, it's no longer just a parking lot. a lot of people coming here aren't even picking anyone up. picking someone up from the airport should probably fall under an act of love simply because it's such a hassle. there's no stopping at baggage claim for more than a minute or two and circling the terminal can be maddening. that's why cell phone lots are such a hit. free and close parking where drivers like shirley fisher wait until she gets the call. her sister has arrived. >> i'll be over at baggage claim. i'm going to drive slow. you jump on, okay? >> reporter: but what started as just a place to wait has what some airports turned into, shall

we say, a place to be? >> no brainer. yes. >> reporter: in austin, you can even have dinner in the cell phone lot. everything from a spinach salad to beef fajitas, all under seven bucks. >> thank you. >> it's fantastic. green chile pork taco and it's very well done. >> reporter: in tampa, it's the dude and his food. and free wi-fi. for multi-taskers like lori foley can work while she waits. >> it takes the pressure off of oh, no, i'm going to be up till midnight doing this. >> reporter: airports doing what they can to make customers happy. they're not stopping at food, restrooms and free wi-fi. there's more to come. down the road you'll be able to go shopping here as well. so this is just a start? >> this is a start. you can pull up, maybe buy some flowers, pick up your love off the curbside of the airport and, boom, you're on your way. >> reporter: what else could they possibly come up with? well there are bigger plans. >> a gas station out there,

convenience store, car cleaning facilities. there's all kinds of options that you can offer out at cell phone lots when you think about it. >> reporter: flight information boards make it easy to track arrivals and delays, which everyone here dreads, except for the food dude. >> i'm from up north. when it snows it's better. it delays the flights and they have to wait here and it makes my life a little better. >> reporter: a florist, mini mart, it all could be here soon. at the end of the day this is not unlike the airlines and their baggage fees. airports trying to squeeze out every dollar they can. dinner in the parking lot. matt, back to you. >> janet shamlian in austin, texas, this morning. thank you very much. i hope they do that for the parking lots where the taxis have to wait as well. those guys sit there hour after hour. coming up next, melissa mccarthy, live after your local news. ...canceled. eddie... shannon... so, what do you do? i'm a blogger. totes weird, that is cray, cuz i'm a blogger, too. there's a saying i love, "those who wish to sing, always..." "always find a song." she was just like, perfect, ya know?

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7:56 is your time now. good morning. i'm eun yang. no more snow and ice today. you will be thinking spring. meteorologist tom kierein here with your forecast. good morning. >> good morning. chill in the air now. we are in the upper 30s and low and mid 40s. later today the highs expected around the region. generally in the mid and upper 50s around the metro area. much of maryland and virginia, though, up into the 60s later this afternoon. we will hit the 60s most of the region tomorrow. lot of clouds and some afternoon and evening showers. maybe even some thunder and lightning late afternoon and evening on wednesday. then turning much colder and windy on thursday. cold pat northeastern the weekend. >> thank you. danella is back with a look at danella is back with a look at your morning commute next. we gotta sell the car. where would we even start? get the car.

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good morning. overall we are seeing some volume delays across the area on the outer loop of the beltway in maryland we are seeing heavy delays from 95. then in virginia, volume delays on the inner loop as you approach little river turnpike. we are dealing with a water main break on little river turnpike at willow run drive. eastbound left lanes are blocked there. expect significant delays. i want to find an alternate route in that area. 270 southbound, heavy delays. 395. >> thank you. another

morning, the 29th of january, 2013. we have a lovely crowd out on our plaza this morning. big smiles. it's kind of warm this morning, i would say, here in new york city, compared to inside our studio. but, hey, that's another story. good morning, everyone. >> it's another whining day. >> i know. sorry. >> it's actually very nice out. >> pleasant outside. lovely, lovely, lovely. we have a lovely crowd on the plaza. we are out here, savannah guthrie, alongside matt lauer and al roker. you know who we have right here, about to walk into frame? the always delightful melissa mccarthy. good morning to you. >> hello. how are you?

>> we are going to chat with you in a few moments about your new movie, "identity thief." >> i don't kid around. i throw some punches and things -- things get a little bloody. >> can my kids see this one? because we already talked about a little mishap with the other movie. >> this one is better except for one part. >> you're not 100% sure. >> there's a scene that they can go out for popcorn, right? >> one part. >> we'll catch up with melissa in a few. also more of our rare interview with former vice president al gore. he has written a new book and is here to talk about what he sees as the drivers of global change over the next severalday decades. it's called "the future." we'll talk about his personal future as well. our green room may never be the same. we have the mcgee sextuplets.

i can't even imagine. >> six 2 1/2-year-olds. we want to mention that al and natalie are packing their bags. they will go out on their first february field trips. they'll go out to a new city every friday. we're doing a super bowl theme this week. >> that's right. >> al is headed out to san francisco where the city is decked out in red and goal and natalie is headed out to baltimore where fans sent the team off to new orleans in style on monday. so san francisco and baltimore friday on "today." >> a little wager going, too. >> i know. >> somebody will have to dress up in something goofy come monday morning. >> either a raven or natalie a miner. >> a niner miner. good. before we go any further, let's go inside. natalie is standing by at the new news desk. nat? >> good morning, matt, savannah and al. good morning, everyone. deadly floods are peaking in eastern australia today. four people have lost their

lives and thousands have evacuated from the worst flooding australia has seen in a decade. a fleet of helicopters are plucking people from rooftops over the past several days. historic floods are being blamed on the remnants sief clone oswald. president obama is set to unveil his own version of immigration reform in las vegas today. he plans to go beyond the bipartisan deal discussed in the senate by offering a quicker path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. the boy scouts are considering lifting the ban on gay scouts and scout leaders. the new policy, if adopted, would reverse the national ban and allow individual troops to decide for themselves whether or not to allow gay scouts. some religious groups oppose the change and gay activists say it doesn't go far enough. a rare double-arm transplant for quadriplegic iraq veteran. the first soldier from the iraq war to survive after losing all four limbs. the surgery was done at john

hopkins hospital in baltimore last month. brandon's father says his son is really excited about his new arms. now for a look at what's trending today, a quick roundup of what has you talking online. say it ain't so, michelle williams is shooting down rumors of a destiny's child at the super bowl half time show. most famous alumnist, beyonce, is headlining the show. but williams says she will be touring and can't be there. everyone loves gangnam style. the guy who made this handmade flip book of the music video that goes shot for shot with the video may just love it more than you do. check it out. ♪ gangnam style gangnam style ♪ >> that is unbelievable. the original now, by the way, has more than 1.2 billion hits on youtube. the flip book version has about

1 billion hits to go with it. a pep talk, where better to get it than from the kid president? >> this is awesome. get out there. i don't know everything. i'm just a kid. but i do know this. >> the self appointed voice of a generation releases a video every week and wants grown-ups to know he tells it like it is. by the way, to let you know, he will be live with us in studio tomorrow. we can't wait to meet him. 8:05 right now. let's go outside to al for a check of the weather. >> out of the mouth of babes. we've got a cutie here. who is this? >> this is frank. >> i like that. where is frank from? >> we're from seattle. >> very nice. frank made the trip all the way out here. what kind of coffee does frank drink? >> black. >> i'm not black. >> i'm not going to go there.

let's show you going on as far as your weather is concerned. pick city, yuma, arizona, where the news comes first. sunny, school, 63 degrees. we have big changes in our temperatures. jet stream way up to north and east. temperatures anywhere from 10 to 30 degrees above normal. out west, they take a big dip. and so you can see the temperatures anywhere from 5 to 15 degrees below normal. we have a risk of strong storms today where the would air masses meet. arkansas today, really could be looking at some severe weather, tornadoes, even rain as you make your way up into the upper mississippi river valley. icy conditions, northern new england, snow showers in the southwest. rain move into the pacific northwest. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> chilly start on this tuesday morning. good morning. i'm storm team 4 meteorologist tom kierein. right now we are hovering near 40 degrees around the metro area. much of the region. later today the highs expected. parts of virginia may climb intoing the 60s. closer to washington and in maryland.

generally the mid and upper 50s. and then tomorrow, even warmer, increasing clouds, upper 60s by midday. and then late afternoon into the evening, some rain could be heavy with thunder and lightning. >> and that's your latest weather. >> all right, mr. roker. give you a sense of what's coming up in the next few minutes, melissa mccarthy is up next. she will tell us about her brand new movie role. then a little more with former vice president al gore. later, music mogul tommy mottola on his music-making memoir and what it was like to work with michael jackson and many others, right after these messages.

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the producers of this film paid you the highest compliment, because this was a part written for a guy and when they saw you in bridesmaids, they thought, she's manish. >> no, i was kind of really excited about that. >> what drew you to this part? >> well, just getting a call from jason bateman. i already kind of thought, what? are you kidding? we had lunch and he was funny and smart and as delightful as i hoped he would be. >> i'm glad i'm not the only one. did you grow up watching him and loving him? >> yes, i think everybody did. he was the main person when i went to meet him, i got a million calls afterwards, please tell me he's nice. i need him to not be crazy. >> he is nice and not crazy. >> not crazy. >> let's talk about how physical this role is. as much as you love jason bateman, you're kind of beating the crap out of him the whole time? >> yes. i beat the bejeebers out of him.

>> you invented the throat punch. can you explain this? >> i had to figure out a way to get away from him. he's a strong guy. i'm 5'2". it would have to be something dirty or i just punch him in the throat and everybody would laugh and jason said that seems like a terrible idea. then they kept pitching it and they're like, maybe you should just punch him in the throat. and i punched him in the throat 17 times. shooting the movie you're doing it about 75 times. i missed occasionally. >> i heard you guys did a lot of your own stunts. >> yeah. and we're up close, we have dialogue, there's no way to switch it out. oh, wait, what i thought was really funny, it's like now i have to do it. i didn't plan on that right. >> tell me how the last couple of years has been for you. such a whirlwind, nominated for an oscar, won an emmy, you're going to red carpets.

you're kind of an "it" girl. >> oh, lord. i don't know about that. to try to work for so long, i've been doing this for a good 20 years. and you just want to work. you hope to god you get a job. to suddenly be getting to do all these jobs that are, you know, just a dream situation with people that i didn't think i would ever meet, let alone get to work with and be friends with, and directors that just as creative and collaborative and dreamy as can be, it's like i just have to keep pinching myself. ben and i, every once in a while, will go, are we really here? this is happening. we try to check in and not let it pass by. >> so fame has totally changed you? >> yes. i don't -- i'm carried everywhere. i only drink alaskan water. >> you told me not to look you in the eye. one thing that's great about you, you occasionally get a little star struck and i hear you wanted to meet our former vice president. >> yes. >> should we go over and say hello? >> yes.

>> i'll take you there. it actually helps us. >> just hold on to it. >> i don't care. >> i'll hold that. you shake. here's mr.al gore. melissa mccarthy. >> you make me laugh. >> oh, lord. that's crazy to hear. you make me hopeful, which is more important. >> thank you. >> this is a great way to tease it. the former vice president will join us to talk more about the future. >> looking forward to it. >> we'll be back after this. vacation is a precious thing. this year, don't just take time off. put time in. turn spending time with your family into spending time as a family. at the one place where every heart-pounding, jaw-dropping, goose-bumping second counts. it's your vacation. don't just take it. mean it. universal orlando. vacation like you mean it.

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revolution to the crisis of global warming, former vice president al gore has never shied away from the tough issues. he is sharing his new book "the future: six drivers of global change." welcome. >> good to be here. >> "new york times" says this is unfiltered gore in all his wonky glory and say, quote, in the classroom of life he will always be the kid whose hand is up. >> oh, dear. >> fair? >> oh, dear. oh, i hope not. but i've always been fascinated by the task of trying to look over the horizon and see what's coming at us. and i have indulged that passion extensively in this book. >> you write a lot about climate change and global warming and the way we view our planet. it is an issue that has shaped your life. i want to talk to you about some polling. if you talk to americans, about four in five people in this country believe that climate change is happening, global warming is real and it's going

to present a problem. but there's a group inside that large group, and it's not an insignificant group, and they don't believe that climate change is manmade or exacerbated by humans. does that surprise you? >> well, in a way, no, because there's been a lavishly funded, well-organized effort to convince -- to try to convince people of falsehoods. and it's the same thing -- >> by the way, the people in that group would say the same of the other group. >> yes, i understand. but it's -- what's different is this is a corporate-funded exercise. large carbon polluters have business plans that depend upon them being able to use the earth's atmospheres, an open sewer. science linking cigarette smoking to lung cancer is not

believable, same people. >> the challenge of global warming unfortunately has led to an almost tribal division between those who accept the overwhelming scientific consensus and the evidence of their own senses, and those who are bound and determined to reject it. the ferocity of their opposition is treated as kind of a badge, signifying their membership in the second group and antagonism toward the first. given that dynamic, what are the hopes for real change? >> well, that's sort of a basic trait in human nature, that all of us are vulnerable to. in times past when we have made leaps forward, to solve problems and create a brighter future, we've found ways to overcome that natural tendency to group up and fight one another. partisanship and antagonism in our politics today is near an all-time high. and it does need to be

mitigated. i think we need to get corporate money out of politics. i think we need to diminish the role of special interests, and i think that would help. >> after years of calling people's attention to this issue -- now we've seen superstorm sandy and tornadoes and drought and extreme temperatures, do you feel vindicated? >> well, i wish that i had been wrong. and i wish that the scientists whose message i was carrying had been wrong. it's not about me. it's about us and what we do to safeguard our future. and, by the way, as i point out in this book, climate change is one huge problem, but we have other challenges. the advanced automation that's coming with artificial intelligence and robotics is really who wihollowing out the class. crossing the boundaries between species and forcing us to realize we're in charge of

evolution now. i won't list all of the others but we have the obligation to the future to make intelligent choices in the present that will give our kids a bright future the way previous generations did for us. >> since i have you here -- and i haven't had a chance to talk to you since a lot of changes occurred in your own life. it was 2010 when you and mrs. gore, tipper, decided to separate. that created controversy, i don't know if you were aware of it, or allowed yourself to listen in, but talking about relationships that end after years and years. were you surprised by the attention you reived? >> well, it's a very personal, private thing. but we made a mutual agreement after 40 years of marriage. we're doing great, by the way. >> how is the relationship -- how would you describe the relationship today? >> warm. we had the children and grandchildren for christmas. and we have regular family

gatherings. life is good. >> when you heard so many people say they were such a great team, the word team was always used in describing the two of you. was it hard to listen to other people weigh in on your personal life? >> well, i didn't listen to too much of that. but we have a good relationship, and our family is strong and that's what matters. >> let me end on a matter of politics. you were the last sitting vice president to go on and run for president. you lost an election they'll write about for decades. joe biden seems to be kicking the tires for a run in 2016. is he the guy, in your opinion, that can lead the democratic party forward and the nation forward? >> i'm going to resist getting drawn into this. >> come on, try. >> i love joe and there are others who, no doubt, will run. i do genuinely believe that just a week after we inaugurated president obama, it's premature

to get into the horse race. >> have you watched television news? come on. this is what we do. >> i know, but that's also part of something we need to challenge. we went through 2012 with 60% of the country in drought, superstorm sandy, $110 billion of climate disasters and not one journalist anywhere in the u.s. asked any question during the debates about the biggest issue we're facing, the climate crisis. now the horse race stories are easy to write. and it's just a template that we get into. it's totally understandable. but we need to really dig in, in our democracy, the way we used to and grapple with the problems that face us. >> let's end on that note. former vice president al gore, nice to have you. come back more often. >> i would love to.

>> we appreciate it very much. we're coming up with tommy mott mottola after your local news. hi. it is 8:26 this tuesday, january 29. i'm angie goff. d.c. mayor vincent gray will announce the district has a $400 million budget surplus. you can thank d.c.'s growing population for generating that extra tax revenue. booming commercial real estate market is a factor. government agencies, however, may not see much of that extra money. the mayor will likely ask that most of it go into the city's reserve fund. let's get a check on today's forecast. storm team 4 meteorologist tom kierein. >> partly sunny. we are in the upper 30s and low 40s around the metro area. highs expected later today. make it into the mid and upper 50s around much of maryland.

across virginia, many locations ought to hit the 60s later today. south of washington and in the central southern shenandoah valley. 60s around the region tomorrow. afternoon and evening showers and thundershowers likely. colder after that. >> thanks, tom. check

good morning. volume building on the beltway and still dealing with significant delays on little

it's 8:30 now on a tuesday morning, the 29th day of january, 2013. downright balmy today after the cold snap of a week or so. >> have to ask natalie. she's complaining. >> shivering. >> you have to get outside to warm up these days. thanks to those folks for stopping by.

i'm matt lauer, along with natalie morales, savannah guthrie and al roker. one of the most successful people ever in the music industry. >> tommy mottola. a lot of people know his name. he has worked alongside, discovered and developed some of the biggest stars, jennifer lopez, celine dion, to name a few. it is what he says in his new memoir about his ex-wife, mariah carey, and michael jackson that is getting a lot of attention. we, as parents, all remember the terrible twos. imagine raising six all at once. the mcgee sextuplets are here. >> i think we've reached screech meltdown, they've been up for a while. >> nap time. as we look ahead for today, a risk of very strong storms in arkansas, slight risk of strong storms in the gulf all the way up into illinois.

wet weather in the pacific northwest. icy conditions in northern new england. for tomorrow, that risk moves to the east, into the southeast and midatlantic states. wet weather in the northeast. more coldmore cold reinforcing out of the plains tomorrow. snow back through the intermountain region. sunny and mild from texas into the southwest. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. i'm storm team 4 meteorologist tom kierein. chilly now. but mild later. these are the expected high this afternoon. you can see parts of north central virginia into the low 60s. around the metro area, ought to hit the mid and upper 50s and then warmer tomorrow into the 60s. most of the region, as a pronlt approaches, likely showers and maybe even thunderstorms coming lou. late afternoon into the evening hours on wednesday. could get an inch or would of rain and then ending by mid might. turning much colder >> and that's your latest weather. today marks three months since superstorm sandy devastated so many communities here in the

northeast. and while progress is being made, there is still so much more to be done. we recently visited the hard-hit town of union beach, new jersey. >> it is so cold out. >> reporter: sometimes something as simple as a pair of mittens can make all the difference. this woman and her family lost their entire home and all of its contents in hurricane sandy. she and thousands of others depend on distribution centers like this one in union beach. >> even if you come here, get a loaf of bread or a hug, it means a lot. >> reporter: we first visited this community before the holidays. >> this was the living room, yes, sir. >> wow! >> reporter: carlos rodriguez's wife and son, jonathan, narrowly escaped the flooding. >> water was coming in the house. >> reporter: how high was it getting? >> to about the stairs. >> reporter: now even with the help of volunteers the road to recovery is still long.

>> how long are we looking at, paul? that i could come back in and sleep in here? >> i'm hoping the middle of march. >> reporter: no money from insurance, nothing from fema either. >> i called and talked to you the other day. >> reporter: most hurricane relief comes from the kindness of strangers. jennifer mayer oversees the recovery effort at the municipal build i building. she says the need for supplies is desperate. >> one piece of sheet rock, send sheet rock. >> reporter: she has been giving what she has to people like steve chandler. in addition to the storm damage his 14-year-old son, shane, is undergoing chemotherapy, yet he tries to stay positive. >> i keep saying we'll have a good barbecue this year, have everybody over for a barbecue. >> reporter: high hopes for a town fighting to survive. >> hope. when you have hope, you have it all. >> reporter: so keeping with that theme, we're announcing a new initiative today. "today" gives hope. in collaboration with our friends at the uniteded way and

amazon.com, we set a really simple way for you to donate essential items that people need. >> if you want to find out more, go to today.com/hope. it was three months ago today that sandy hit. and there is still a lot of need. coming up, we will check in with the legendary music sxuf, tommy mottola. first this is "today" on nbc.

we are back now, 8:37, with legendary music executive tommy mottola. he was the head of sony music for nearly 15 years and worked with the biggest names in the music industry, michael jackson, celine deion, and mariah carey. now he tells his story in his new book "hitmaker."

you start writing about some of these a list stars. if you're honest about a lot of them you're going to get instant reaction. >> right. i thought if i was going to do this, it would be more interesting to talk about things in terms of a bigger umbrella story of what happened to popular music in the golden age, which happened between elvis and the ipod. and then if i could narrate and tell a story in the middle of that instead of a boring biography, i thought maybe that would be fun. >> and in the process of telling and narrating that story, you bring up these a listers and personal experiences and here comes the reaction. you write about mariah carey. you were married to her for five years. >> right. >> she says of you, you were controlling, restrictive, a sve sven svengali type. how do you plead? >> all the thing that is it takes to make a superstar, all the pressures that go along with

that, and being thrown in the middle of a routine that is almost unbearable to withstand for anyone could absolutely feel that -- those pressures would be overwhelming enough to react like that. >> no, i did not hypnotize mariah into selling 200 million albums. no, i did not chain her to the recording stud wroe in the mansion we built after we were married. if it seemed like i was controlling, let me apologize again. was i obsessive? yes. but it was also part of the reason for her success. >> i think anybody that's successful becomes obsessive about what they're trying to succeed at. it's just that simple. >> have you apologized to her in person or when she reads this, is this going to be the first time she's heard those words? >> i would think that would be the first time. >> how do you think she might react to that? >> look, i have nothing but the greatest respect for her in the world. she's one of the most talented singers and songwriters that has ever come along. i feel great about all the things she's achieved as a

result of all the work that we did. >> you also write something that i think was very revealing. you wrote it was absolutely wrong and inappropriate for me to become involved with mariah. and i'm not saying this because there was a generation gap. i should have listened to the piercing voice of my shrink and maintained my distance. >> yeah, yeah. you know, you can never control sometimes what happens in your personal life, as we all know. but you do the best you can. and certainly, you know, the good thing that came out of all of this is that she became one of the most successful superstars in the world and for our company it was incredible achievement. >> michael jackson, you talk about how hugely talented he was, but he was demanding and he surrounded himself with yes people. you were one of the few guys, you say, who even dared come close to saying no to michael jackson. >> well, you know, michael was demanding, but i think he commanded that respect. i looked at him as the most talented artist that i probably

ever worked with. and everyone around him gave him that kind of respect. the problem was, there were too many people who didn't tell him the things that probably would have helped him. >> you think that those yes people were part of his undoing? >> there were so many factors, one can never really figure that out, you know. it started from the early age of his childhood and all the success that he had. which, again, becomes an overwhelming process to any individual. >> do you miss being there on a daily basis as careers are made and then challenged, and made again? >> the thing that i think about is all the great things that happened and how those are now imprinted forever. and i feel good about that. i feel great about the new things that i'm working on and being free and able to do those things as well. >> before i let you go, i've got to get your take on this beyonce flap, okay? everybody was screaming that she may have lip synced the national anthem at the president's inaugural last week. what's your take on this?

>> technically in washington whenever you do those events it's never the best of circumstances. beyonce is one of the greatest singers in the world and my feeling is any time she wants to get up and sing, she can sing as well if not better than everyone, and everyone should leave beyonce alone. >> you think it's much ado about nothing? >> much ado about nothing. >> well, your career was not. tommy mottola, great to have you here. >> thanks, matt. >> good to see you. the book is called "hitmaker." the terrible twos times six. the mcghee sextuplets take over our studio.

back at 8:44, mcghee sextuplets first captured the hearts of america with an online photo. and now they're giving us a look

into their challenging lives in the documentary "six little mcghees." >> if we can make it there in four minutes, it's a miracle. it's like they know they're turning 2. >> and they are out of control. >> you got to be kidding me. this is a national disaster, boy. >> peed in the water. >> these kids are all over the place. >> and rozonno, & mia are now with us along with their six kids. good morning, everybody. >> good morning. >> i find myself stressed in 30 seconds. is this how normal life -- little chaotic, right? >> extremely chaotic. right now they're 2 and there's no controlling them. >> this is kind of the terrible twos time six, right, mia? >> they run the house. we're outnumbered and they know it. >> how are you guys adjusting? i know you love having them so

little. in a way you don't want them to grow up, but also it's a lot to handle. >> it is. >> it is. it is a lot to handle. we waited ten years to even get a pregnancy. so, of course, i'm happy. i'm happy i have them. it is a lot of chaos, but we make it work. >> i should ask how everybody is doing. they were born at 27 weeks. >> four days, absolutely. no medical issues, anything. >> give me an idea of the day in the life or a week in the life in terms of how much are you having to buy at the grocery store? what does it take to run this mcghee sextuplet operation? >> and then some. >> lot of prayer, lot of organization. you have to be on it. you have to have a lot of energy. >> how many diapers are you changing per day? >> ooh, goodness. i would say probably anywhere between 45 and 50.

>> 50 diapers a day, which is a lot. >> it's a lot. >> this is the age where you might start potty training. >> oh, my gosh. >> what does that thought do to you? >> just trying to get through the terrible two stage right now. i'm not looking forward to potty training. >> yeah. >> that's not even -- i mean, that's just mind blowing. >> they're sextuplets, of course, but they all have their own individual personalities. >> they do. you see, we have six different personalities. they go their own direction. they do what they want to do. we want them to be individuals. >> you got this reality show. what drew you to wanting to do that? it's exciting and it's fun but now everybody sees what's going on in your lives. do you have any trepidation about that? >> no. we were on the oprah winfrey show and we received like an overwhelming response of letters saying how inspirational we are and encouraging we are. so we thought if we could do a reality show and they can see

more of us and we can tell our story at the same time, let's do it. >> yeah. and one of the big challenges, i know you have, ro, is keeping the spark alive in your marriage. you just did a prom thing? >> yeah, we did. we're high school sweethearts and i know mia always wanted to have -- like go to the prom. and we were young and working. we had our own apartment in high school. we were unable to go to prom. and so i said, you know, why not go to prom? that's not nice. >> yuh-oh. are you okay, sweetie? >> maddie. >> come over here, maddie. you've given us a spice of life. you are handling it well. your kids are adorable. catch "six little mcgys" wednesday night on discovery health. coming up next, a live performance from one of music's hottest acts. emeli sande is come iing up on .

i never knew he liked me. we'd have to keep it quiet. or we could just tell h.r. happy valentine's day. it would never work. try the new brownie batter donut. get any six donuts for $3.99. america runs on dunkin'. >> announcer: the toyota concert series on "today" brought to you by toyota. soulful singer and songwriter, emeli sande is a huge success in her native

briton. breakout album tops the charts and she performed at both the opening and closing ceremonies of the london olympic games. now she's bringing her talents and her act across the pond for a u.s. tour. it's great to have you here. welcome. >> thank you. >> we last caught up with you in london during the olympics. you did a little performance for us there. what was it like to be surrounded by the pomp and circumstance of those olympic games? >> it was very exciting, you know. it was -- in the village, just all the excitement and the buzz in london. it was such an honor to be involved in such a massive thing for my country so i'm very happy i got to be part of it. >> you have been so well received there. you've been nominated for four awards, the equivalent of our grammy awards. now that you come across to this country, what do you notice is different? what kind of reception do you receive here? >> for me it's like two years ago in the uk. you go to the shows and it's just that real raw excitement at the beginning when people have

just found you as an artist. i love that. it's a brand new challenge for me and i'm really enjoying it. >> when you go back then, do you think it will be a rude awakening, to be back so much in the spotlight? >> you get used to it. you kind of just have to recalibrate when you go home and when you come back here again. >> i was just reading that your video for "next to me" has 25 million hits. >> wow! >> 25 million hits. it's amazing what the internet can do. >> yeah. >> for an artist these days. >> absolutely. it's a massive thing. your music there and you get exposed and sometimes you can't always rely on record companies. i'm happy we have internet as an exposure. >> we're so proud of your accomplishments, not only there, but it's great to have you here as well. what are you going to sing? >> i'm going to sing "next to me." >> ladies and gentlemen, emeli sande.

♪ you won't find him drinking at the tables rolling dice and staying out till three you won't ever find him being unfaithful you will find him you'll find him next to me ♪ ♪ you won't find him trying to chase the devil for money fame for power out of greed you won't ever find him where the rest go you will find him you'll find him next to me ♪ ♪ next to me ooh ooh next to me ooh ooh next to me

ooh ooh you will find him you'll find him next to me ♪ ♪ when the money's spent and all my friends have vanished and i can't seem to find no help or love for free i know there's no need for me to panic cause i'll find him i'll find him next to me ♪ ♪ when the skies are gray and all the doors are closing and the rising pressure makes it hard to breathe when all i need's a hand to stop the tears from falling i will find him i'll find him next to me ♪ ♪ next to me ooh ooh next to me ooh ooh next to me

ooh ooh i will find him i'll find him next to me ♪ ♪ when the end has come and buildings fall down fast when we spoilt the land and dried up all the sea when everyone has lost their heads around us you will find him you'll find him next to me ♪ ♪ next to me ooh ooh next to me ooh ooh next to me ooh ooh you will find him you'll find him next to me ♪ ♪ next to me ooh ooh next to me ooh ooh next to me

ooh ooh you will find him you'll find him next to me ♪ >> emeli sande, thank you so much. welcome to the states. great to have you here. we're back on a tuesday morning right after your messages and your local news. 8:56 is your time now. good morning to you. i'm eun yang. tonight you can help weigh in on what colors d.c.'s cabs should be. the taxi cab and you don't know form color pan sell holding a public meeting at the southeast neighborhood library from 6:00 to 8:00 tonight. there are nine different color schemes the panel is considering

for the 6,000-plus taxis. the panel will make its decision next month. a check of the traffic now. alexis davies is in for danella. >> good morning, everyone. we are still seeing volume building on the beltway. especially the outer loop in maryland as you are coming down 59 southbound to where the outer loop. you should see backup there. still dealing with a water main break. little river turnpike at willow run drive. eastbound lanes are blocked. >> thanks so much. we will take a quick break now and

good morning. we have a brief elevated rainbow captured by an nbc viewer. this is over 95 earlier this morning. since then sunshine. hitting the upper 50s, near 60. warmer

more of "today," this tuesday morning, 29th day of january, 2013. that crowd assembled on the plaza, the weather begins to warm up a little bit here in new york city. i'm willie geist along with natalie moles, al roker and tamron hall. the man behind the music of michael jackson, celine dion, mariah carey and many others, tommy mottola, he was here in our last hour talking about his new book "hitmaker" and we asked him to stick around for our take three. we want to get your take on

this. tiger woods won the delayed farmers insurance open at torrey pines for the seventh time yesterday. came back, won a big tournament, had a big final round monday. it's his 75th career title. looks like now he's starting to come back post injury, post whatever you want to call it. >> scandal. >> we'll call it a scandal. and on the other hand in the music world, chris brown is back in the papers again, singer frank ocean, alleges that he was punched. sent out a tweet saying he was punched by chris brown and a group of people outside a recording studio in west hollywood. so, tommy, recovering from flaws in your private life to go on to success in public. when it happened to tiger woods a lot of people said he's finished, he's done, he will never break jack nicklaus' record. we've seen it in the world of entertainment. is there a point where you're so talented that it overcomes anything that you've done in dwrour private life?

>> i think you get to a point sometimes where everything becomes so under a microscope and then, unfortunately in the case of both of the two people you just mentioned, the situations were extremely difficult. you cannot deny the talent of chris brown or tiger woods. on the other hand. it becomes a difficult situation. >> does that hurt chris brown's popularity? he seems to turn out the hits. >> chris has been getting back there at this point in time. until this incident, who knows what the fallout will be. chris' talent is undeniable. and he has been recovering from what had happened in the former incident. >> oprah said staying amplified to what you are, she told lance armstrong, if you're a jerk, it's amplified. oprah said it. if you're a philanthropist, it's amplified with fame. do you think what we're seeing with tiger woods, chris brown

and many artists you've worked with, it's just an amplifia cation of what they would be without fame? >> no question. fame is a treacherous situation. you always have to be aware of the fact that, nowadays especially with social media, instantly everyone knows what happened to you, no matter what you did. >> i think the public is generally forgiving and can give second chances. i think most everyone here believes in second chances. the question is, what about third chances, fourth chances? chris brown we've seen quite a lot of chances. >> right. >> so, how much do you think they can hold up under that? >> well, it's hard to tell. it's unfortunate. >> yeah. >> and, you know, i always like to see people rise above adversity and everything else that happens to them. >> look at ray lewis. shining example. baltimore ravens, everybody is cheering him on. difficult past. >> ray lewis being celebrated

this week at the super bowl. those are good examples. our take two, the question being asked by at least one writer, too young for an oscar? age 9, quvenzhane wallis is the youngest actress being nominated for an oscar. she was 6 when she starred in "beasts of the southern wild." the argument goes other deserving actresses were overlooked. what do we think about that? >> they've all won pneumoniaaripneumoninumerous academy awards. >> didn't have a lot of lines. >> no, she didn't have a lot of lines. it's the emotion. >> quality not quantity. >> right. >> look at tatum o'neill. >> how about michael jackson, the jackson 5? talent is talent no matter what the age is. >> this is an example where one voice gets amplified in the case of social media and twitter,

this is one voice. we know her name and she'll be at the oscars. sometimes i call it bitter bear syndrome. >> by the way, i would guarantee that meryl streep and rachel weiss would all be in favor of paving the way for new talent. >> absolutely. they're not complaining. >> it's a subjective award. so, obviously, enough peoe thought enough of her performance to nominate her. >> and she was phenomenal. she was on the show with us. >> we loved her. >> talked about not knowing she was auditioning for this big role, kind of stroling in, and chilling it. if you've seen this movie, that kid -- she leaps from that screen. >> brand new, innate talent, discovery of that. >> good news is that she's going to be around for a long time and hopefully, this critic won't be. >> tatum o'neill, by the way, was 10 years old when she won for best actress. there is precedence. take three, this has confounded me and apparently some other people now. is it time for an insta diet?

there's a fad where people go to a restaurant and instagram their meal. >> you do that? >> i do it. >> natalie, okay. >> what's your problem? >> what am i supposed to do with that tweet? congratulate you? >> here's an idea. don't look. what's the big deal? has your life been ruined by this? >> wow! >> what's the point? what are you trying to achieve by taking the photograph? >> i just had a nice moment. you might like to try this. or just look at t it's beautiful. >> i'm learning to cook. i've been on the journey about a year. i take pictures of my food and send it to my friends. one's a chef. what's up, lish? and my mom who says eww. i get feedback. i'll start tonight around 3:00 am start tweeting -- >> my beautiful wife, talia, comes from the latin culture. they appreciate food so much, they celebrate food. she's constantly tweeting. >> what do you think about that, geist? >> it was a question.

>> you are annoyed by it. >> my friend has been whining about this. >> what was the response? overwhelming what's wrong with you, willie? >> no, a lot of people wondered the same thing. >> you're getting a little offensive, backing off of it now? it's not me. it's my friends. >> i want you to tell me if it looks delicious or not. if it's something i created, i want to know what you think about it. >> if you created it, tamron, s. >> ooh. >> a chef in new york city doesn't want people taking photographs of his meals because he wants to control the way it looks. >> guess what, once i bought it, it's mine. shut up! >> i hate controlling people. >> yes, of course. >> what the heck! i've already paid for the food. what are you going to do, come take it out of my mouth? i'm taking a picture. >> chris christie. >> hey, chef, i got your picture right here. >> this guy is inviting people

into the kitchen where he has staged the meal and you may take a picture in the kitchen and then you're allowed to tweet it out. >> i get the point that he wants control because of the lighting. >> it's not a cookbook. it's a picture. >> but if you capture a photograph and it doesn't look delicious -- >> then you should have sent it out looking nicer. >> i don't know what got into you today. >> they're going to complain about somebody -- somebody thinks enough of your food to take a picture of it, why are you whining? >> because he's a control freak. >> then get over yourself, chef. >> you are a man that has controlled careers. thumbs up or thumbs down. >> gu duh stop people from taking pictures of your artist? >> no. you want it. it's great. >> yeah. >> tommy mottola, thanks for sticking around. his new book is called "hitmaker." go check it out. natalie has look at the headlines. >> roads near brisbane have turned into rivers, thousands

have been evuated, many homes completely submerged. forecasters say the flooding should not worsen. president obama unveiled his immigration reform today in las vegas, just a day after bipartisan group of senators laid out their own comprehensive plan. among the proposals in that senate plan, a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already living in the u.s. and an increased security presence on our nation's borders. a major policy change could be on the way for the boy scouts of america. the organization's board of directors may reverse a ban on gay scouts and scout leaders, leaving it up to the local troops to decide. if approved, the national policy change could go into effect next week. billions of dollars of aid are heading to victims of superstorm sandy. monday, the senate approved the $50 billion to provide help to hard-hit homes and businesses three months after the storm slammed the northeast. president obama says he will

sign it as soon as it hits his desk. a programming note, special report tonight on "dateline," the story of abducted college student mickey shoonic and the hunt for her assailant. "missing mickey." a woman used her remote car key to pop the trunk, apparently igniting vapors coming from plumbing equipment she stowed inside. debris went flying across the parking lot, but fortunately no one was hurt. the song of the summer is back. except this time it is taking on an inventive instrumental song. sorry, carly rae jepsen but these instrumental versions of "call me maybe" are pretty good, too. take a look. ♪

>> guess you can play that song with just about anything. those videos going viral on youtube. they have a long way to go to catch up with the original, that has some 393 million hits. makes it hard to do the dance, though, with the instrument. >> i'm still partial to the jimmy fallon one. >> what would michael jackson or any artists early on if the internet had existed then, how much bigger might they have been? >> well, you know, it would have been no limit. it's, you know, the whole universe. so, i mean, it would be -- it would be hard to tell but certainly it just would have been much more incredible success. >> would they have taken pictures of their fooand posted them online? >> i'm sure they would. >> definitely. >> twitter is on fire. people are supporting al overwhelmingly. >> i haven't seen your stuff. i haven't seen it.

weather. >> that's what's going on around the country. you have a problem with that? >> good morning here. we have lots of sunshine now. and temperatures are now climbing into the 40s. later today the highs expected. across parts of virginia, ought to hit l 60s. closer to washington, upper 50s to near 60. in parts of maryland and low and mid 50sor a high. then as we get into tomorrow, even warmer. much of the region well into the 60s. and afternoon and evening showers, thunderstorms with heavy downpours. all ending by midnight. turning windy and colder thursday. cold >> and that's your latest weather we really struck a cord here, didn't we, with al? food photographer. tommy, thank you again. >> this is fun. i might come back. >> any time. any time. up next, your credit score and dating. are they compatible? that's right after this. [ doorb] donuts? ♪

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credit scores are used in lots of cases, when you buy a house, a car and even by employers. >> romance, increasingly singles are using credit scores to size up their dates. that's right, that little number long used by banks has now made its way on to the social scene. chicago flight attendant jessica la shawn was flying high recently, enjoying a great first date. >> i was extremely excited about this guy. >> reporter: but she quickly came down to earth when her potential mr. right asked for her credit score. she didn't know it, which he took as a sign of financial irresponsibility. >> he took me home. he really didn't want to have anything more to do with me. he was very disappointed and he did not hide that. >> reporter: call it a sign of these financial times.

more and more, cupid is looking at credit. an increasing number of people seem to be directly asking dates about their credit score, using it as a way to evaluate a possible future together with shared finances. >> credit scores really matter. in fact, they're the only grade that matters after you leave the schooling system. you're going to have to spend more money to borrow. it could cost you a lot of money. >> reporter: meet 27-year-old john mcdaniel. credit score, 720. he says he always asks about the magic number on the first or second date and his perfect 10 better be above 600. >> credit score, fiscally responsible, how can you move on with having house, kids, anything at that point? >> reporter: it's a trend even showing up online with sites like creditscoredating.com and datemycreditscore.com, to the financially finicky. most list their credit score right upfront.

>> our membership is increasing dramatically because people are becoming more aware for the need for financial responsibility in relationships. >> reporter: that's certainly the case with jessica la shawn. >> i learned to take advantage of opportunities that allow you to review your credit score and how to actually become finaially responsible. >> reporter: a financial lesson from a love lost. what may be more important than credit score is finding a partner you're financially compatible with. partners who fight about money are 30% more likely to get divorced. tamron? >> mara, thank you. jean chatzky is "today's" financial editor. hi, jean. >> hi. >> we've gone from asking what's your sign to what's your score? >> it is really, really scary. it is important. i don't know that i would go as far as to ask on the first or second date. before you get married you want to know what do you earn, what do you own and what do you owe? >> for people curious about

their credit score, how do you get it? >> you're entitled to three free copies of your credit report a year, through annual credit report.com, one from each of the credit bureaus. if you go to credit karma.com you can pull a copy of your credit score and they'll monitor your credit score for free. >> you can get it for free. that's a good thing. >> that's a good thing. >> it seems obvious to tell people to pay your bills on time. put that into context. how important is it to make sure you don't have late fees -- not le late fees but -- >> a great score is anything over 760 on the fico scale. this is the one that learneds look at. late payments are really bad news. they represent about 30% of your score. set up automatic payments so you're never late. >> what's credit utilization? >> that's credit available to you that you're actually using. on your credit cards you only want to be using 10% to 30%. you want to see your score go

up, you have to pay down your credit card debt. >> makes sense. applying for new credit cards, you go to any store they'll offer them to you. >> just say no. you also don't want to close cards that you have. >> why? >> it goes back to the credit utilization. if you close cards you reduce the amount of credit you have outstanding. that takes your credit score down. and credit utilization represents about a third of your score as well. >> useful information. i don't know about finding love with it. but when you look at the numbers of people who divorce because of finances, it's part of the conversation. >> and the thing that they fight about most is debt. >> all right, jean. good to see you. >> you, too. >> thank you so much. coming up, the three finalists in "today's" quest for the best jingle. but first these messages. but don't worry, he'll find someone else. ♪ who's that lady? ♪ who's that lady? ♪ sexy lady

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"here, take my stuff and figure it out." i will do that for you. it's a mental challenge. it's a puzzle. but getting you the maximum refund- that's what i'm here for. bring it on. so i used my citi thankyou card to pick up some accessories. a new belt. some nylons. and what girl wouldn't need new shoes? and with all the points i've been earning, i was able to get us a flight to our favorite climbing spot even on a holiday weekend. ♪ things are definitely looking up. [ male announcer ] with no blackout dates, you can use your citi thankyou points to travel whenever you want. visit citi.com/thankyoucards to apply. then i read an article about a study that looked at the long term health benefits of taking multivitamins. they used centrum silver for the study... so i guess my wife was right. [ male announcer ] centrum. always your most complete.

that's why i got them pillsbury toaster strudel. warm flaky pastry with delicious sweet filling my kids will love. plus i get two boxtops for their school. toaster strudel. the one kids want to eat. it floats. when hair is this hydrated, it flooows... introducing nexxus hydra-light: a higher standard in hair care that's full of moisture. free of heaviness.

hydra-light's salon formulas with light, deep-sea minerals give up to 80% more moisturization that won't weigh hair down. for hair that captivatingly flows. new nexxus hydra-light. [ woman ] you'll never settle again. [ male announcer ] raise your standard. still to come on "today," a beloved european queen abdicates the throne. why and what's to come? live gladiator training. spartacus, watch out, roker. first your local news and weather. ♪

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♪ we, we chocolate cross over. ♪ yeah, we chocolate cross over. ♪ [ male announcer ] introducing fiber one 80 calorie chocolate cereal. ♪ chocolate. 9:26 on this tuesday, january 29. i'm angie goff. it has been a messy commute this morning. let's go straight over to alexis davies who is in for danella. >> well, she's not there. we apologize important the technical difficulty. you can see us 50 at 202 there, smooth sailing so far on that road. your forecast is up next with tom. stay with us.

good morning. i'm meet me tom kierein. around the region now partly to mostly sunny. and temperatures are now climb into the upper 40s to near 50. and these are the highs expected this afternoon around the region. you can see a lot of virginia should be climbing into the 60s while around the metro area, we should be hitting the mid and upper 50s for highs and farther north and west, it will just be near low 50s. then tomorrow even warmer air moves in. lot of clouds, though, into the mid to upper 60s. maybe even near 70, parts of virginia tomorrow afternoon. there's a likelihood of some late afternoon and evening showers and maybe even some

thunderstorms. after that clearing out and turning much colder with gusty winds on thursday. dropping down to the fourth in the morning down to the 30s by sunset. colder friday into the weekend. >> don't forget to tune in

back now with more of "today" on this tuesday morning, 29th of january, 2013. nice day for all the tourists here in new york city. with willie geist, al roker and tamron hall. crown a winner with a very special guest judge. >> little diddy. like p. diddy? >> yeah, with a d.

longest serving monarchs steps aside for her son. so will this trend perhaps catch on in britain? no, it won't. but we'll take a look. what do you think? >> that hat -- >> she had a nest. >> was that a hat. >> or was she happy to see you? >> wow! >> she's a queen. >> that's right. and then no guts, no glory, stars of the cable cult hit "spartacus" are on hand for a little sword play. they'll teach us our moves. >> we each get a move and we're supposed to do it. >> are we fighting those guys? i want no part of those guys. >> fight each other. >> okay, good. first,ting with today. we have a risk of very severe storms. possibility of tornadoes throughout much of arkansas and a risk frequent the gulf all the way into the mississippi river valley. wet weather into the pacific northwest. sunny and mild, down to florida. as we move into tomorrow, that

risk of strong storms moves into the eastern gulf. into the mid atlantic states. look for wet weather in the pacific northwest. reinforcing shot of arctic air comes into the plains. rain makes its way into the eastern great lakes. northern new england area. by thursday we are looking at more lake-effect snow pyring up around the great lakes. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. storm team 4 7-day outlook. weekend is always in view. return colder for the weekend. today and tomorrow it will be springlike. highs today near 60. tomorrow well into it is 60s. lot of clouds, though. and then some of the afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms, perhaps early evening and some of those thunderstorms coming through could produce brief, very heavy downpours. we could pick up a quick inch or would of rain. ending after midnight. windy and colder on thursday. some snow showers or flurries friday and again saturday night. >> so we're talking about "the spartacus" cast and natalie was mentioning how disturbingly good

looking these australians are. >> i didn't say that. >> and you said goose bumply. >> spartacus is looking at you. >> please don't. >> look at this. your goosebumps have goosebumps. >> willie has a bromance, too. >> i didn't say anybody was goosebu goosebumpily. i said look at those pecs. >> but we digress. >> no, we don't. >> thank you, al, for exposing my goosebumps. this will give you goosebumps, right after this. ta. it's back for just $12.95. ta. featuring 5 delicious new entrees to choose from. go creamy and dig into rich new penne di mare with shrimp. or maybe go crunchy with new parmesan potato crusted chicken. served with unlimited fresh salad and warm breadsticks. finish with a decadent dessert. 3 courses, just $12.95! go tonight! go olive garden!

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this morning on "today's" quest for the best, your "today" show jingles. we asked you to send us an original tune, and our three finalists are here to compete for the title of "today's" best. they are john michaels from lexington, south carolina, kayly walker and andrew walker, no relation, from denton, texas, and brent morgan and joe radcliff from georgia. 16-time grammy award winning producer david foster, here to judge today. good to see you. >> glad to be here. >> no pressure, 16 grammys. >> the "today" show is iconic. we want something hooky, we want something we can remember, get in, get out and remember it.

>> our director, joe michaels, that's in my head right now. you're playing for your daughter, jenna, 5-year-old jenna. >> my sweet little girl. >> let's listen to what you've got. ♪ where do you go when you need to know just who you can trust and who do you turn to for all the news you can turn to us ♪ ♪ savannah matt and natalie willie too hoda al and kathie lee ♪ ♪ we're neighbors we're friends we're family together we've weathered history ♪ ♪ yeah there's lots that we have done and the best is yet to come ♪ ♪ the good times the bad times we've laughed and cried we've shared with you the times of our lives after more than 60 years we're still here ♪

♪ today today on nbc ♪ >> all right. john michaels. what did you think? >> if you worked my name in there, you might have had a better shot. you had everybody else's in there. it was great. it was a good story. i would have preferred a hook to come in a little earlier. it was really good. good job, man. >> you made jennings proud there. let's move on to our second contestant, kaykaylie and andre walker. >> i jumped on some cords, thought up some lyrics. >> i came over, finished it up and recorded it that night. >> what did you think of john's? >> it was catchy. >> he raised the bar a little. >> yeah. >> let's hear it, guys. take it away. >> five, six, seven, eight.

♪ get up see the sun rise it's a new day let's start it right turn on the tv to our favorite show matt and savannah all you know ♪ ♪ good old al has the weather now come on natalie willie hoda and kathie lee today is the day to be who you want to be say what you want to say ♪ ♪ start again don't you know it's not too late life's a gift you've got to open it up today ♪ >> all right. little harmonica, very nice. >> what did you hear there, david? >> it was nice. it was maybe not quite as punchy as the first one we heard. nevertheless, very good. so far, we're batting two for

two. this is going to be hard for me. >> cool. i'll let you guys think about that one for a minute. we'll move on to our third contestant, from madison, alabama. >> that's clearly cheating, the whole keyboard, orchestra. >> it better be good. i'm a keyboard player. so get on it. >> how long have you been playing together? >> we don't. >> first time for everything. >> this is first time. >> cool. let's hear it. take it away, guys. >> one, two, three, four. ♪ today today hey good morning a little fun before the day gets boring ♪ ♪ today where it's all good hearing what's happening in your neck of the woods ♪ ♪ today hey it's easy catching up with the world on tv today is all you need waking up today with nbc ♪

>> all right. very nice. >> very good. >> definitely something a little different. more acoustic. what do you think? >> love the little nbc logo at the end, the same way john did. joe. john. you'll be joe if you win. look, i'll tell you what, i was really impressed with all three of you. i think that from a producer's point of view, if i was producing the "today" show theme, if i had to go with one of you and make it into a hot 30-second spot, i would go with john. >> wow, all right. >> awesome. >> i want to say i also co-wrote that with diana bryan out in seattle. >> so you cheated, too? that's awesome. that's great. >> holding that trophy. >> i've had fun. everybody has been great here. i want to say thanks to the "today" show for this opportunity. >> well done to all of you.

congratulations, john. thank you all for the effort. great to have you with us. we're looking for the savviest saver in america. go to today.com to share your one of a kind penny pinching secrets. if you send along pictures to show how it's all done that's even better. three finalists will have a chance to compete in studio for the title of "today's" best. up next, a royal abdicates her throne. that's up next. dear chex cereal, i just had to write. you can't imagine how long i've been searching for something like this for my family. i'm amazed you make so many great flavors that are gluten free. my guys are crazy for chocolate chex and honey nut chex. for me, it's cinnamon. it means a lot to be able to give them something that's good for them, that also puts smiles on their faces. 'cause i really love those smiles. we're the harris family. and we love chex. [ male announcer ] love chex? connect with us on facebook. [ male announcer ] love chex?

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it's a decision that took many people in netherlands by surprise, queen beatrix is passing the crown to her eldest son. michelle kosinski has the story. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. the last abdication was king edward in the 1930s, who gave up his throne to marry an american. this still surprised people for this much-loved monarch. queen beatrix and the dutch royal family for generations have been known and beloved as friendly, down to earth, normal. after 30 years on the throne, three days from her 75th birthday, queen bea, as she is called, addressed her country. >> the responsibility must now lie in the hands of a new

generation. >> reporter: that would be her son, william alexander, once known as something of a party boy, and whose father was not invited to their wedding, because of ties to a military regime. cried at her wedding, she became part of the family ever since. beatrix second son gave up his claim to the throne when he married a woman who once had a relationship with a drug lord. skiing accident, avalanche last year left him in a coma. queen beatrix has been flying to london almost every weekend to see him, another emotional upheaval after the death of her husband. both her mother and grandmother gave up their crown. abdi

abdications, voluntary or not, have happened throughout the years. to become a catholic, a big scandal. and king edward, to marry a twice-divorced american. one who will not abdicate, it is often said, queen elizabeth, two years away from becoming the longest reigning monarch in british history. >> my whole life, whether it shall be long or short, shall be devoted to your service. >> things do change. people who say things will never happen, i would say to them never say never. >> reporter: prince charles now is the longest waiting heir to the british throne and could be waiting a long time more. for queen beatrix, it was just the thing to do at the right time. this abdication raised questions about queen elizabeth's future. and can someone still be head of state, say, when they're 100 years old? prince charles recently described himself as an impatient person and says he hopes he lives long enough to do everything he wants to do. back to you guys. >> all right.

mi michelle kosinski in london, thank you. coming up next, we will channel our inner gladiators with the stars of "spartacus." first this is "today" on nbc. (woman) 3 days of walking to give a break cancer survivor a lifetime-- that's definitely a fair trade. whoo! you walk with friends, you meet new friends, and you keep those friendships. it was such a beautiful experience. (woman) ♪ and it's beautiful ♪ undeniable (woman) why walk 60 miles in the boldest breast cancer event in history? because everyone deserves a lifetime. visit the3day.org to register or to request more information today. ♪ burning like a fire ♪ building up from deep inside it was 3 days of pure joy.

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intense battles, steamy sex scenes, hot bodies. but enough about the fourth hour. in the gladiator saga "spartacus" on the starz network, there is plenty of actio action. >> his mind, not seeing you attack in the night as thieves. >> a mistake you shall not make agai again. >> name terms of surrender. let us be done with this. >> there are none that would trust a roman to honor. >> liam mcintyre plays spartacus

and the head gladiater trainer, t tyler bell. people love this show. >> i hope so. and you learn stuff, too. >> what do you learn? >> you learn how to disembowel -- no. >> history. >> julius caesar here, you might have heard of him. >> you're a hot julius caesar, a sexy julius caesar. >> thank you, i appreciate that. >> so i've been told. >> i'm going to agree with you. >> you're dressing up, fighting with swords and stuff. it's going to to be kind of cool. >> it is fun, like a 10-year-old's dream, running around on a set. >> you train these guys. how hard is it to train them? >> it's pretty hard. i make sure that nutrition and training is always on. that's all season long. >> nutrition and training. >> oh, yeah. >> you've got a little routine you can show us?

>> yes. >> give our gladiators in training a little workout. >> oh, yeah. >> oh, it's on. >> let's do that. >> hold this. >> okay. >> anything can happen. anything can happen. >> oh, all right. it's a draw. very nice. >> hurt you? >> no, never. >> on that note, why don't you guys pair up with natalie, tamron and willie? >> no, no, no.

>> we're going to do a strike. >> you want to go -- two-handed? all right. it's sort of like swinging a golf club. swinging a golf club. >> to the leg? >> just like that. >> you really are good at this. >> i told you, she's very dangerous. >> do they have women do this? >> yes. >> women gladiators? >> yes. >> you fit in. >> okay. well, thank you for that. wow! >> your turn, tamron. >> this is sort of a mid slice. >> a mid slice? >> mid slice. >> lie, why don't ywillie, why >> okay. >> you have this. >> i don't have this, but i'll try it. >> come on, tamron. wield that sword. >> it's not slow motion. "spartacus" airs friday night at 9:00 on

9:57 is your time on this tuesday, january 29, 2013. good morning. i'm eun yang. taking a look at headlines this morning. d.c. mayor gray is preparing to announce the district will have a $400 million budget surplus in the coming year. closing arguments are under way in the trial of anne arundel county executive john leopold who is accused of misconduct. jury deliberations are also going on right now in former culpeper police officer daniel

harmon-wright's murder trial. it is a tough commute this morni morning. >> we are seeing heavy delays as you are traveling more 395 around with a wash boulevard. no incidents have been reported that you can see. almost a would-mile backup as you are heading towards the 14th street bridge. driving the -- 395, 24-minute ride from the beltway to the 14th street bridge. tom? >> right now we have sunshine. temperatures are near 50 degrees later today near 60 around the metro area. warmer in parts of virginia and warmer tomorrow, maybe afternoon and evening storms. >> tom, thank you. a local band that will get you jazzed up for the super bo

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and feel like a green giant. ♪ ho ho ho ♪ green giant from nbc news this is "today" with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. hey, everybody. so glad you're with us today because it's a boozeless tuesday. yeah, uh-huh. january 29th. >> what is the count? >> good news is somebody says there's only eight days left. yes. next wednesday we are going to have a party. >> it's going to be -- i'm telling you, new year's eve will come. you have to watch the show. we don't know what's happening. it's good. >> we don't know who our guests will be, but they will be happy. in the meantime, today we are

going to have a gifforita in honor of my favorite football player in the whole world. it's a salted rim lime-ade. there's frank. i think frank was 26 then. >> can we go back to that picture one more time? that picture is so handsome of frank. i mean, wow. >> i know it. he was truly, truly -- one of the greatest looking men i've ever met. >> every time i see this picture i say to him when he is standing there, boy, does my timing suck. to which he looks at me and says so does mine. that's the recipe for a happy marriage, people. humor. >> we are in day two of our fun little game show we're playing. we're bringing people in from outside and we're having them spin the wheel that we have over there, and sarah is, like -- >> those people love us out there. >> you could win some prizes. >> we got a crazy crowd out here, guys. they can't wait. >> you know it's important.

>> all righty. i know we got you, sarah. >> what a crazy crowd. okay. what's going to happen -- >> they don't care if it's small stuff. we want a enthusiastic one. >> we're going to choose -- we're going to pick a person later in the chat, and we are excited. i think i might have my eye on somebody. >> i bet you do. >> you know what i'm saying? >> she's eyeing you. >> we do want to second out a shout-out to barbara walters who is at the age of 83 suffering from what we all consider to be a childhood disease of chickenpox, and she's been hospitalized for more than a week. >> you heard that probably -- i guess it was nine days ago she fell down, and there was i think ciy adams said in the new york post today that she actually -- she didn't slip, she fainted. we don't know from barbara, but, anyway, while this was all going on, it tur out that she got the chickenpox, which people say is so rare among even people over 60, so it's got to be one of those things that is -- >> i bet it's painful too. if it's anything like shingles.

we send our love to you, barbara. listen, this is a woman who rarely falls, if you know what i'm saying. >> this is one of the more accurate human beings. >> strong like bull. >> she is strong like bull. >> we have a fun segment coming up, and it's called friend-fluence. we have a quote. here it is. you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. >> who are you quoting? >> are you the average -- i can't remember, but it's a quote. >> it is a non -- >> think about the five people you spend the most time with. you are the average of them. some people say, gosh, my friends are so bitchy, and you say, well, that's why that's your group or sometimes you're with people that -- >> that explains your attitude is basically what you are saying. >> you attract what's within you. you do. >> friends have a huge influence on how you do what you do, what you're like, and sometimes if you have to criticize a friend, if there's something that your friend is doing that's bothering you and you have to say it, it's a hard thing to do if you are a good friend to someone.

>> that's the whole point. if you are a good friend, you will find a way to say it. >> in a nice way. >> we use the term loosely. too loosely. >> yeah. >> same way when you use the word love loosely. you know? >> well have a segment on this. we've all had the kind of friend who is doing the same thing throughout our whole life. let's say she keeps hitting the same brick wall. she's dating the same kind of guy over and over and she comes and says, oh, my gosh, i'm heartbroken, but she keeps doing it and doing it. after a while you keep -- >> they won't take the advice that they've asked you for. if you respect me andment my advice and i'm happy to give it to you, at least try. don't -- you know? um -- oh, shoot. i'll think of it in a second. my own quote, and i can't remember it. if you settle for what you've got, you deserve what you get. i have said that many times. you're settling for this in your life. you're the only one that can make a choice that's different from the choice you keep making, but you keep settling for what

ewe got. therefore, nothing you -- you deserve it. you can change things. >> i think it's hard because i surround myself -- a lot of my friends are -- they tell me the truth when it's an important subject, but i think they're cheerleaders, and actually in a world where there are lots of critics and people are always saying something, sometimes you need cheerleaders, someone who will cheer on you and doesn't see the cracks all the time. >> but a real friend will do both. will do both. you will never feel -- what's so funny about that? >> cracks. they thought some crack humor. >> that's our crew. you want to know -- there's a whole point. show me your friends, and you will show me who you are. >> that's it. >> take a look around. i've always been grateful that my kids for the most part -- a few of cody ae friends in college i'm not crazy about. for the most part they choose great friends. >> the real housewives of beverly hills is -- >> are they real friends,

though? >> i don't know. >> let's watch a clip and see if they're real friends. >> you brought up that -- >> i brought that up because she is suing me. >> hold on. >> i want to go back because -- >> because i don't know that you do. >> yeah. but it's nobody's business anyway. why are you -- >> i agree. that's the point, yolanda. >> shhh. >> i like yolanda. >> she's the voice of reason. >> i just met her downstairs. she is david foster's relatively new wife. they've not been married that long. she's lovely. we've fln david a long, long time. never seen him so happy. she is the voice of reason in all that insanity and botox. >> it's fun to watch this show, and we're going to speak with both of them coming up and to get thei take on things because apparently brandi, the one who was scream thering -- >> doublemaker. >> -- was at a book signing yesterday and said something so terrible we can't even say on

the air about leann rimes awful out loud. >> good thing she didn't say anything terrible about your book. be grateful for that. i think brandi is coming on our show soon. she has a book out about drunk tweeting. >> there you go. >> who is this kid? >> this is a kid from youtube, and it's a kid who they say will lift you up, will make you feel inspired. let's look. >> what if michael jordan -- that would make me tired. yeah. he is retired. about br that in high school what if he quit when he didn't make the team? he would have never made space jams, and i love space jams. what will you create? nothing if you keep sitting there. that's why i'm talking to you today. this is your time. this is my time. it's our time. we can make every day better for

each other. if we're all on the same team, let's start acting like it. we can cry about it or we can dance about it. i don't know everything. i'm just a kid, but i do know this. let's get to it. >> adorable. >> his name is robbie, and i guess he has three videos now. he is going to be on the earlier hour with tomorrow, hoda woman, but he also has something called osteogenesis brita -- it's brittle bone disease. he wants to be that active, but maybe he shouldn't. >> he lifts you up. what are you going to sit there, or do something? >> he is precious. >> he is adorable. >> i want my picture taken with him. >> yes, indeed. we have good news for miss alabama. you remember her. she was in the stands. she's the girlfriend of the quarterback of -- >> alabama.

>> exactly. >> yeah. >> i can't really remember the game. she became famous for that shot in the stands, and now she's getting another shot at being on tv. >> yes, she's going to be on "the inside edition." >> on the sidelines during the super bowl. >> that was her first day on the job on friday. i remembered it happened that way for pamela anderson. remember she was sitting in the stands and she was wearing some t-shirt, and they stayed on her and her -- >> i'm sure they did. >> for a long time, and as a result hen she got that great -- i mean, she started her whole career. >> that's unbelievable. >> yeah. >> it is time for us to pick someone from outside. >> our people. >> this is for the game we're going to do later in the show. >> okay. >> i got it get the guy going like this. >> wait. which one? >> do it again. >> no. this one. yeah. go. >> let me see. >> get crazy. hoda is picking. look your best. >> i'll take the blonde with the

scarf. >> blonde with -- right here? >> yes. >> yeah! >> faceoff, ladies. >> all right, kids. going to be fun. we're going to play a game in just a few minutes. >> all righty. now, it's also time for johnson's baby of the week announcement. >> we're starting something new. in conjunction with johnson's baby, we're celebrating moms everywhere. we are going to feature the newest arrivals right here in our chat, so send us a photo. the birth date and the weight of your baby, and words of wisdom. the baby has to be, what, eight weeks? it doesn't say. the baby must be eight weeks or under. >> by february 1st. we need all of your entries. go to klg and hoda.com, and maybe your baby will be on tv. >> everybody thinks they have the most beautiful baby in the world. you know what, they're right. >> yes. every girl needs her friends, but are they always good for you? >> if they're friends like me, hodie, yes, they are. >> you tell me the truth. >> with love. i could smoke for the first week... i'm like...yeah, ok...

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note why can't we be friends? >> i love this one. >> i have a question for you. does this dress make my butt look big? >> no. it doesn't. >> you look excellent. >> whether it's how you look or boyfriend advice, sometimes your bff holds back. they say it's to spare your feelings. >> yes. so are you your best friend's worst enemy? carlen is the author of "friendfluence. she's here with joyce chang who

is cosmopolitan's executive editor. >> hoda and i disagree on this a little bet. don't we? >> i think part of it is we want our friends to cheer us on, but we also want to know the truth, and i think that there's a fine line -- >> or do we want to know the truth? >> should you tell your friends the truth? >> there's a fine line. i mean, the friendships are so powerful, and your words are so powerful, and as a good friend it's hard to navigate that balance, but i think it's important if you are truly a good friend you say the things that your friend needs to hear, but from the right place. >> it's w you say it. >> it's so how you say it. >> a good friend is supportive most of the time, but she'll occasionally have a more difficult conversation with you, which you can really learn from if you are open from it. don't be cruel. ask her questions that allow her to sort of talk about herself rather than being blunt. >> your friend has a boyfriend who is like all the other boyfriends she's ever had. >> just as bad as the last one. >> she's crying and telling you, oh, what a terrible thing. what is the right thing for a good friend to say to her?

>> i think a good friend says, you know, i feel like you've been unhappy before in your relationships. do you think there's -- >> do you think there's a pattern? >> what is the pattern here? what type of man are you falling for? is that the right type of person for you? >> why do you think you're crying. why do you think it's not working? make them answer their own questions. >> then it sounds like you're interviewing them. >> there's a fine line how to do that. >> i think the first time it's one kind of a conversation. the tenth time it's got to be a different kind of conversation. just like parenting in a weird way. first time your child does something it's a little no, no, no, we're not going to do it again, but the time they've done it a tenth time you have a different conversation. >> should you just take some -- should certain friends be sort of put on the sidelines? should you -- >> she means -- >> break up with friends? >> well, i mean, friendship is a two-way street, and you have to be getting something positive from the friendship too, and if your friendship becomes dominated by the same problem over and over again and you have had the conversation and you've tried to get her, you know, to come to a place to realize what

she needs to realize in order to get herself out of her own sort of pickle, maybe it's time to reconsider, you know, is she really the right kind of friend for you? how much time in your day do you have for this? >> a lot of girls have competitive friends like you get your haircut, they get theirs. they light like theirs better. you lose five pounds. they lose eight pounds. what's the right way to navigate that kind of friendship? sometimes they're good friends minus that trait. >> right. friends are powerful influence, and you have to realize when it's a bad influence and when it's a good influence. i think you know overall if a friend is supportive and really cares about you versus that friend who is consistently undermining you and not really supporting the core of who you are and your identity. >> what goes in comes out. say you're around a negative person all the time. that negativity is going to seep into you and it's just -- it will. >> you have to make sure you have plenty of positive friends and maybe have that one friend who is a little negative and she offers something else, so that's okay. >> funny. >> you know, you want positive

friends overall. the flip side of this, speaking of the two-way street, is that you have to be open to criticism from your friends because they can see patterns that you can't see. >> let them know it's because you love them that you're doing it. >> okay, ladies. thank you for coming on and joining us. >> they don't like each other at all. >> all right. they were plucked off the plaza. >> oh, they are. >> which game are we going to play? >> we'll find out later. >> calling all the single ladies. how to get a date for valentine's day. you, hang up first. no, you!! [ female announcer ] after school, get to pizza pleasin'

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[ male announcer ] raise your standard. >> time for sarah in the city where she goes out on the street of new york city. >> this week we have a juicy one.

>> we do. >> group dates. >> that's right. for all of you single people out there and looking to lock down a date before valentine's day, this could be the solution for you. it's called grouper, and it's an on-line social club that arranges group dates between friends. >> it starts with a few clicks of the mouse and $20 later a new grouper member is born. michael waxman is the ceo of grouper. >> grouper is a social club that sets up drinks between two groups of friends. three guys and three girls. >> joining through facebook, grouper members sign up with two friends for a group date. >> so i'm going on my first grouper tonight. any tips for a first-timer? >> go into it with an open mind and just, you know, excitement about coming up with -- or making a great story out of the night. you're not going to be disappointed. >> grouper e-mailed me the time and place. gram arsy in manhattan. it's time to grab my friends and go. >> sarah, i'm 23, and i like watching football and sitting with a cold beer.

>> hi, i'm britney. i'm 25. i love long walks on the coast of maine. >> let's go. >> we were excited to see four companions for the evening. enter derek, rob, and mike. it started off with the usual introductions. >> wait. no, no, no. i have to -- yeah. >> then the drinks started flowing and things seemed to pick up. so what happens if all three guys like the same girl? >> second a text message under the table. like, rob, got this one. then you just sort it out. >> i don't see any phones out. i'm just saying. >> i felt pretty confident that we were all on the seam page. >> zero to ten, i would give her a 17. >> they're good guys. they're all from jersey. i've never been to jersey. do i want to go after this? no. >> i think so far the girls are

doing really well. sarah needs to talk a little more. >> i think [ bleep ], you know? can i say that? >> sarah is extremely socially awkward, and it works well because you can just playoff of its weirdness. >> at least one more, but see what happens. >> i usually don't turn down a round of drinks. >> i'm probably going to say that water sounds amazing right now and that i won't be out late. >> what happened? >> it was a fun group. yeah. it was one of those things. sarah is definitely going to get to jersey eventually. maybe not with those guys. >> i love the idea. >> it takes the pressure off zoosh i love it. thanks. that was fun. >> who picks up the tab at the end? >> i think the boys should, but i left early. >> good girl. >> hoda. >> hollywood power couple on and off screen. we'll talk to grammy winner

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♪ you're the meaning in my life ♪ >> welcome back to "today" on this boozeless tuesday. you may recognize the hit song by chicago. one of the many songs. should be 18 time grammy award winner. nobody cares. by the time you see this, he will have won two more. >> he is behind some of the biggest names in music. from everybody from celine dion to michael buble, and now he is on reality tv with his wonderful wife, yolanda foster. she is the newest housewife on "the real housewives of beverly hills." >> you went right in the weeds

with all these housewives. you got in the muck with them, huh? >> i jumped in. >> how has that been? you seem to us to be like the voice of reason. we watch insanity, and -- >> the classy, sane one. >> i wasn't sure if i was going to be either really boring or come -- you know, come out as the voice of reason, and that's exactly what i wanted to be going in. obviously the women choose a different way of communicating than i do, which is fine, but so far so good, you know? >> when you hear some of the stuff that the people are saying, like yesterday there was some news made because brandi was at a book signing and she said of leann rimes she should go blank herself because no one else will. something like that. when you hear those kinds of things going between housewives, what do you think? >> i mean, i don't agree with it, and i think that she would be a lot more powerful if she would just zip it and just, you know, walk her walk and -- >> but it wouldn't make for great tv is the problem, right? >> exactly, you know. that's the fascinating thing. people tune in because they love to see that.

>> train wrecks. >> did you want yolanda to be a part of this? you have been through this before. you know how tough it can be. >> yolanda has a purpose. she has a goal. it's a fwraet way to get your name out there, and the kids are older, and she wants to get herself out there. she's got great ideas. she's a great homemaker, and she thought that was a good platform. can you imagine saying no, you can't? i wouldn't do that. >> well, at your house, i remember all the housewives came, and there was a lot of singing, and you were playing the piano, and even in that beautiful setting with that beautiful music, still people were fighting. about god knows what. >> yeah. >> what do you make -- >> i had never met them before. >> he was just trying to support me and, you know, what i do, and all of a sudden you have, you know, taylor going at him, and he is just like -- >> i called her the wrong name. i never hit her before. i called her kim, and that made her mad. i never met her before. >> oh, my god. >> i wasn't trying to be mean. >> when you watch the show -- do

you watch the show? you do. do you see the woman you love? is that the same person we're seeing on the air? >> absolutely. yoland ais great at giving advice. we have a big blended family. she gives great advice, and that's her role on the show, and you can't mess with her. nobody is going to bring her down on this show. >> you guys have such a connect even just sitting here looking at you two together. what is it about -- tell us a little about this romance. >> you know, i always say it took me 42 years to find him. we've been together now, what, six and a half years, seven years almost, and, you know, it's a blessing, every day. you know, people -- the women say how can you make him your king? he is my king, and i love catering to my husband, and i love taking care of him. >> no matter who the man is, they love that. don't they? >> because if that happens, then you want to be -- respond and take care of them. >> you have had a lot of -- >> experience. practicing. >> practicing. >> she had another goal. yolanda has a goal. >> my goal is i want to be

married to him longer than any of his exwives. >> together. >> that's going to be hard. i can do 21 years. i think we can make it. that's why he is in great shape. he has lost a lot of weight. i have him exercising and healthy food. lots of love. >> i have known david forever, and i have never seen him so happy. >> no, but it's true. you know, in a relationship as you get older, as you probably well know, you want to get to that -- no, but you -- >> right is right. >> you want to just, you know, get along. fighting and arguing is -- i just want peace of mind. we don't argue, but we're still madly in love, and it's fantastic. >> you have been battling lime disease for the last five months. >> for five months. actually while i was shooting the show i was really, really sick, and az watched myself, i'm, like, okay, girl, get to the point because i had such tremendous brain -- you know, brain fog. >> but you're doing well now? >> it's her first day out today. she's been in bed five months. >> congratulations. "real housewives of beverly

hills" airs monday 9:00, 8:00 central on bravo. >> eight more days to go until we can drink. >> hoda is so excited. >> i can't wait. we have to have mocktails to do. >> it gets easier. ♪ na na na na na ♪ i woke up to a new day ♪ every little thing gonna go my way ♪ ♪ i woke up to a light bulb on ♪ every little thing is possible now ♪ [ female announcer ] we've added a touch of philadelphia cream cheese to our kraft natural shredded cheese so you can bring a creamier melt to any morning. ♪ life is amazing with the love that i've found ♪ ♪ ♪ life is amazing with the love that i've found ♪ hers hey'ife is amazing with the love that i've found ♪ 's is more than hers chocolate. it's an invitation. to stop and savor. when the chocolate is hershey's. life is delicious. it's a different kind of i finaretinol.d it.

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>> it is day 22 of no drinking for a month on tv. >> if you have given up liquor like we have on tv, but don't want to feel left out of the big super bowl weekend, we've got some delicious mocktails and a score with your friends. >> care is the food and entertaining editor for "ladies home journal." they put us up to it. >> you're doing so well. >> she cheated. >> eight to go. >> eight to go. >> we're counting. >> it looks like wine. it tastes like wine. but it's dealcoholized. i want you to taste it. taste your chardonnay. i have a red one for you. all they do is bottle nonalcoholic. no faces. it's a lovely alternative. >> taste it. >> not quite. >> okay. >> so it's, it comes in all the

varietals of regular wine. can you get your zinfendel and rose. it's a great way. very affordable. if you are worried about price point. okay. super bowl is coming up. we're going to go into mocktails and have fun. we have -- >> it's a take on a margarita. >> i bet you could make a gifftini if you wanted to. >> you know how to rim the glass? okay. you do. see this happen. >> hoda has had a lot of experience. >> rub a lime around the edge. >> she needs to do it mostly naked in front of her window. >> you know i'm paranoid now. >> that you said it, and rightfully so. >> i told you. she's excellent at it. >> beautiful. we have sugar and salt mixed in there. this is kind of a salty limeade. here's a little -- >> gifforita. >> all the calories and no punch. >> you don't have to have the

sauce to have fun. it's just flavorful. >> that's actually great. that's good. >> when you are at a party, you kind of want to have alternatives for those designated drivers. >> an awful lot of people are on aa. you want to have something for them. >> super bowl party is a long day, so you want to have alternatives for people that need to stop drinking. >> you're right. smart, sarah. >> so it's super bowl in new orleans this year. you can pay tribute to your favorite city. this is a hurricane. >> hurricane. >> and it's passion fruit juice and lime and a little grenadine to give it the beautiful pink color. look at that. so want to talk about cocktail glasses, and you can have mocktails and still serve them in the fun glasses. a little trivia. hurricanes are named after the glass because they have the shape of a hurricane lamp. that's the history behind it. >> oh. >> i never heard that. i lived in new orleans for years. >> she also doesn't know the baby in the cake -- >> now you have a little history. you recognize this. we're calling it a hail mary. it's our take on the bloody

mary. football season going. i know. it's the touch that we're changing. that is a slim jim. it goes with all your football snacks. add your celery, slim jim. >> that is nasty. i mean -- >> what we've done here -- we've taken out the tobasco and twisted it up zoosh i knew there was something missing. >> we added a little thai hot sauce. >> okay. >> it's a twist on that. should be delicious. >> what is this going to be? >> this is our no heato mow mojito. you got giffortini or whatever it is. >> you can pick a favorite. >> we made this just the same as a regular mocktail. you muddle the mint with the sugar and ice, and it's delicious. >> why don't you show us. >> now, this is something fun. look at this ice cube.

look at this. it's a football made -- >> i love that. >> you just don't want to fumble this football. it's a little messy. >> putting your super bowl pumplg. this is pear, neck tar, apple juice, a little lemon. >> you might like this, hode. >> goes with all your super bowl. >> i like that. i like that. that's all great. >> we ended on a good note. >> okay. come back next week for a real party. >> all right. she's burning up the charts in great britain, and she is in our studio for the first time. >> a performance by emile sande. i think it's sande. isn't it? >> i think so. >> right after this. [ female announcer ] this test paper behaves like the surface of your skin. now watch what soap does to it. ♪ if soap breaks down this paper, just imagine what it's doing to your skin. soap strips your skin.

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(woman) 3 days of walking

to give a break cancer survivor a lifetime-- that's definitely a fair trade. it was such a beautiful experience. (jessica lee) ♪ and it's beautiful (woman) why walk 60 miles in the boldest breast cancer event in history? because your efforts help komen serve millions of women and men facing breast cancer every year. visit the3day.org to register or to request more information today. it was 3 days of pure joy. ♪ and it's beautiful >> i to the oat concert series on "today" brought to you by toyota.

>> we're back with a singer songwriter who is a huge success in britain at 24 years old. >> she's currently touring the united states, and she's performing a song off her latest album, our version of events. give it up for emile sande. she's singing "my kind of love." ♪ ♪ i can't buy your love don't even wanna try ♪ ♪ sometimes the truth won't make you happy so i'm not gonna lie ♪ ♪ but don't ever question if my heart beats only for you it beats only for you ♪ ♪ i know i'm far from perfect nothing like your entourage ♪ ♪ i can't grant you any wishes i won't promise you the stars ♪ ♪ don't ever question if my heart beats only for you

it beats only for you ♪ ♪ cause when you've given up when no matter what you do it's never good enough ♪ ♪ when you never thought that it could ever get this tough that's when you feel my kind of love ♪ ♪ and when you're crying out when you fall and then can't pick your happy off the ground when the friends you thought you had haven't stuck around ♪ ♪ that's when you feel my kind of love ♪ ♪ you won't see me at the parties i guess i'm just no fun i won't be turning up the radio singing "baby you're the one" ♪

♪ but don't ever question if my heart beats only for you it beats only for you ♪ ♪ i know sometimes i get angry and i say what i don't mean i know i keep my heart protected far away from my sleeve ♪ ♪ but don't ever question if my heart beats only for you it beats only for you ♪ ♪ cause when you've given up when no matter what you do it's never good enough when you never thought that it could ever get this tough that's when you feel my kind of love ♪ ♪ and when you're crying out when you fall and then can't

pick your happy off the ground when the friends you thought you had haven't stuck around ♪ ♪ that's when you feel my kind of love ♪ ♪ cause when you've gin up when no matter what you do it's never good enough when you never thought that it could ever get this tough that's when you feel my kind of love ♪ >> oh, yeah. come on now. >> emile sande. all right. we're getting our game on. >> oh, yes, we are. >> first, this is "today" on nbc.

>> all right. it's time to play get your game on, but we pick two lucky people off the plaza to come inside and have a little fun with us. let's meet the contestants and find out what they're going to play, sarah. >> we got larry. we've got ashley. >> ashley! ashley! >> today we're playing mad skills that will test your skills at making a house out of a deck of cards. get creative and crazy. i'm the judge at the end. 60 seconds on the clock. go. >> go, larry. ♪ >> okay. keep working. okay. >> okie-dokie. we are ten seconds in. i'm seeing some progress made. >> where? >> not on your table. >> keep going. wait. i got this one. >> e for effort? or is it an a? we're going to stick with e over here. >> ours is a condo. >> one card down. this is getting exciting. >> we'll disconnect them.

>> a lot of strategy going on here. okay. okay. we're at 20 seconds, people. >> this is -- >> wait. >> hoda raise your game. >> what do you mean? what's happening? what's happening over there? >> larry. >> don't screw this up. >> i'm shaking. >> go ahead. >> ashley. >> three seconds. oh! >> no, no. >> oh. wait, wait, wait. >> what? >> i would have to say that the winner right now -- they have four condos, but this one is a little more creative, so i'm going to go with kathie lee's. >> there's cheating going on. >> come here. come here. hey, look. i want you to look. >> these are the entire decks. right? >> thank you.

>> thinking outside of the box. >> we have a couple of great guests tomorrow. guess who is coming? michael bolton and liza minnelli. >> bye-bye, everybody. take care. >> how did we lose?